Fire & Silver
by alexajaye
Summary: Finnick tells Katniss about a citizen of the Capitol he knew who wasn't as bad as all the others who bought him by way of President Snow. "They're not all bad," he says. "There are some who are more like you and me than you would think." She isn't expecting to hear anything that will surprise her. But it does. It does very much. AU, Pre-HG, and Post-MJ. Rated M. First HG Fiction.
1. There was One Other

_**I'm new to writing Hunger Games FanFiction, so Hello! I hope you'll all give my story a read and tell me what you think. **_

_**Like everyone else in this fandom, I read these books and fell in love with this story and these characters. This is categorized under my two favorites, and I'll tell you why. Katniss is the strongest female character I've ever read, and Finnick has to be my favorite male character ever written.**_

_**It wasn't until I read through the books a second time that I began thinking of this story, and it was also, coincidentally enough, when I started to really dislike how Finnick's death was handled - also the fact that it happened at all.**_

_**And this has to be one of the longest notes I've written at the top of a new story. I'll shut up now.**_

_**None of the recognizable characters are mine. They belong to Suzanne Collins. This first chapter incorporates portions of Mockingjay, directly after Finnick's broadcast but before Peeta and Annie are brought back to District Thirteen. I don't own any of it. It's just a catalyst. The setting is also not mine, but the story and other OCs (yes, there will be a few) are all mine.**_

_**Also, I edit all my own stories, but I'm human, so I've probably missed something. See any mistakes? Let me know and I'll fix it.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**There was One Other**_

Finnick and I try to station ourselves in Command, where surely first word of the rescue will come, but we are barred because serious war business is being carried out. We refuse to leave Special Defense and end up waiting in the hummingbird room for news.

After his revealing broadcast, I'm not expecting Finnick to be anymore open than he already has been. Everything he's said has only solidified my belief that most of the Capitol's citizens are extravagant, overstuffed, stupid little sheep.

"They're not all bad," he says as we wait to hear about the rescue team gone to get Annie and Peeta. "To most of them, we merely exist to keep them entertained, yes. But there are some who are more like you and me than you would think."

It's like he's read my mind or something.

Even after everything I've just learned about him, I think he must still be foolish to believe such a thing. Us in the outer-lying districts are cannon fodder to the people in the Capitol. I'm not expecting him to tell me anything that will surprise me.

But he does.

"She wasn't like her father," he says to begin, knotting his rope slowly and unknotting it. "It was a year and a half after Annie won her games. Halfway between the 71st and 72nd. I was twenty, and I'd been traveling between District Four and the Capitol for four years. My father and I were trying to keep up like everything was still normal, but by then, I could already see in his eyes that he knew something was different about me. We were all trying to help Annie after what she'd been through. Then I got summoned back to the Capitol."

A sense of dread fills his voice, and I'm suddenly afraid of what he's going to tell me. Just a short while earlier, he was baring his soul to all of Panem, and I don't think I'm ready to know about anymore of his conquests — even if he is trying to tell me something important. All the salacious details and sordid descriptions are things I don't really need to think about right now.

"I didn't — The way I felt about Annie was still — And she was still so young. I knew she would be all right. But I was still afraid for her. My mother and father, and my brothers. There were still people that I cared about and would fight for, and Snow knew that. So naturally, I didn't hesitate when I was called back. Except this time, it was for much longer than I'd ever stayed."

"How long had you stayed before?" I ask, shocked at myself that I would even want to know.

He shrugs. "A day here or there. Always during the Games. The longest before this was probably a week, and that was for some stupid party for a wealthy family near Snow's house."

"And how long was this one time?"

He knots his rope again into an intricate form, silent for a few minutes before he tugs to pull the rope free. "About a month."

This, I'm not expecting, and I gape at him. "A month?" I repeat, and he nods.

"It was just before the victory tour came to the Capitol that year. After Johanna won."

I'm so curious that it's literally bubbling beneath the surface of my mind. "And exactly what did you do for a month? And with who? Who is she? Is she one of the Capitol citizens you were talking about earlier?"

He shakes his head. "No. No, I wouldn't do that to her. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here."

His forgiving tone makes me a little angry, especially given the hell that we're all currently going through right now.

"What's so special about her?" I ask, not meaning to sound cruel and failing.

With his rope caught between his fingers, Finnick lifts his sincere sea-green eyes to me. "It's because she's dead, Katniss."

He begins a new knot silently, leaving me to still wonder exactly who she was and how she died.

Did Finnick love her the way he loves Annie?

No. That's not possible. Though I haven't met this girl he loves, I don't think anyone else could stir in him the things I've seen because he doesn't have Annie.

So why is he telling me this now?

Then without me saying anything else, he starts talking again, about her.

"Her father was a Legislator who worked with Snow, so it was very likely that he would be dead one day if he got too ambitious. Her mother died when she was about eight, and she had to take care of herself because her father was always in meetings. I thought it was odd when she told me that, but it was because her father didn't like that she was a girl. He had wanted a son, and when he found a man he thought would be better in that role, he made arrangements for that man to marry his daughter. The man he picked apparently didn't want to marry a girl who knew nothing about men, so when he brought this up at a meeting with Snow, our great President naturally thought of me. That's when he sent for me."

"How old was she?" I ask, fearing the answer without even knowing it.

"Barely sixteen."

And now she's dead? How long has she been gone? What happened to her?

Something else makes me angry. "Her father was making her marry someone she didn't even know?" I ask.

Finnick nods. "And because I was stuck literally between protecting the people I loved and defending myself, I couldn't refuse. Either way, I lost. She wasn't what I was expecting, especially because she didn't know who I was."

His mocking tone surprises me even more, and for some reason, I laugh.

"She didn't know who you were?" I tease lightly.

He shakes his head, smiling the same as I am. But then he stops smiling and starts knotting his rope again. "In fact, she was terrified of me when she first met me. She hit me with a crystal vase when she found me in the front room of her house, and it took me the rest of the day to convince her that I wasn't going to hurt her."

I shake my head too, holding up my hand for him to stop. "Okay, I'm confused," I say. "If she didn't know who you were and she tried to kill you when she met you, then how . . . ?"

He grins, knotting but now clearly more distracted. "There's more," he says. "I'm not finished."

I sit up and reach for the rope, needing my own distraction while he tells me this new story. "Tell me," I say.

As he starts, it's like I'm there with him. A silent observer to this defining point in his life.

* * *

_**I plan on having quite a few of these scenes with Finnick and Katniss, hence the pairing. They are friends after all. They'll all be this short also, until this next portion of the story has been told.**_

_**I also plan on updating this at last every few days to once a week while I'm still writing it. Because this chapter is so short, the next one should be up tomorrow or the next day.**_

_**You might be wondering where this will all fit in. Yes, Annie will make an appearance. No, I will not be splitting her and Finnick apart. But this new presence will show her worth also. Just give it a chance.**_

_**Lastly, while I've written for other fandoms, this is one near and dear to my heart. I hope I do it justice.**_

_**Thanks for reading and we'll see you in the next chapter, hopefully.**_


	2. Four and a Half Years ago

_**Okay, so a few people reading, and one person following (thank you, slythani!) But no opinions? No "this is terrible"? "This sounds like a waste of time"? Or even "there are hundreds of stories like this one"?**_

_**Well, okay, can't say I didn't try. And yes, I'll admit, the first chapter was small. But the next several will be MUCH longer. Starting here. Maybe this will give you something else to work with.**_

_**Also, this won't be a particularly "happy" story even though there will be some "happy" moments. **_

_**Anyway, I'll let you read.**_

_**More important stuff at the bottom.**_

* * *

_**Four and a half years ago . . .**_

Finnick sits on the plush fuchsia sofa with an ice pack pressed to his temple, staring outside the massive windows of the world that show it's currently snowing outside. Heavily. He wasn't expecting a snow storm when he arrived in the Capitol, but seeing as it's winter, maybe he should have. Right now, he just wants his head to stop hurting. The Avox tried to send for a doctor, surely to retrieve something that would make the pain stop instantly, but Finnick had said no. Just an ice pack.

In actuality, it's the last thing he needed. Sending for a doctor would have surely allowed word to get out that he's either attacked this girl or purposefully injured himself so he can go home. He won't give Snow a reason to hurt anyone, so for now, the ice pack is enough.

The living room he's sitting inside is massive, with stark white walls, a vaulted ceiling where an intricate, crystal chandelier hangs ominously, and a royal blue, winding staircase that leads to the balcony. There are no pictures on the walls. There's no proof that anyone actually lives here. Finnick wonders if Mr. Delmore Clementia even lives here. Was this house empty a week ago, rented for the sole purpose of ridding his daughter of her innocence?

This thought makes Finnick angry and sick, especially since he now knows that this girl doesn't know who he is and ran away from him as soon as she threw the vase at him. If anyone outside this house finds out that he's made such a poor impression, there's no telling how quickly Snow will catch word and then move in to do something irreversible — like kill someone Finnick loves.

Ideas make circles around Finnick's pounding head as he wonders how he's supposed to fix this. It's not like he's ever been in a situation like this before in his life, not even since he started coming to the Capitol on an annual basis. No one's ever attacked him before, or screamed at him, or run away from him. In fact, a lot of them have lunged at him, tied him up and dressed him up in the craziest clothes — and he has the stories and scars to prove it, even if the physical scars have all been eradicated.

Out of the corner of his eye, Finnick sees a flash of blue and then white, and he puts the ice pack down to see the little sliver of a girl hiding behind the wall nearby.

After throwing the vase at him and screaming, she promptly turned around and ran away, and it's been more hours than Finnick has been able to keep up with since then. The Avox has offered him both breakfast and lunch, but he's refused in favor of nursing his head.

But it looks like this girl has finally come out again.

Slowly so he doesn't startle her, Finnick rises from the couch and makes another move toward her.

She starts to bolt again, but this time, he's ready.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he says quickly and quietly. She stops, and he sighs heavily. "My name's Finnick. I'm a . . . a friend of your father's."

One foot at a time, she steps out from behind the wall, and Finnick realizes how small she really is. Her father told him that she has just turned sixteen which in most districts is the age of consent. But she looks so tiny. How can anyone think she's capable of taking care of herself? His head throbs again, and he banishes that thought from his mind.

"What's your name?" he asks as gently as he can.

Her lips move, but no sound comes out.

Finnick shakes his head. "I can't hear you," he says.

She stares at him a minute before speaking up. "Edana," she says, her voice trembling.

Her steps in front of her finally and takes the two steps up to be on the same floor with her, noticing that her head barely meets his shoulder, and it makes him feel more horrible than he has in his life. Gently, Finnick takes her hand in his to greet her properly, and she jumps easily. He holds on and leans down to kiss her cheek.

"It's nice to meet you, Edana," he whispers.

The way he holds her hand still frightens her, like she's afraid he'll stun her and hit her at any moment, but when she looks at him again, her eyes are not afraid of him. He takes this chance to really look at her for the first time. The eyes gazing at him suspiciously are bright and brown with a ring of gold around her pupil, and her hair is the most golden he's ever seen, braided back from her face and pinned around the crown of her head. Even Victors from District One don't have hair this golden. Her face is dotted with freckles but otherwise clear and pale. Just above her left eyebrow is a jagged scar.

It's the most curious thing, especially since she's lived in the Capitol all her life from what Snow says. Most people in the Capitol get their scars removed. They never have any blemishes on their skin, and their hair is almost always perfect — not gray or mussy or even normal-looking. Finnick is so intrigued by this scar that he feels a deep need to touch it.

Again, she jumps but doesn't move away, as he's still holding her hand, but she looks around nervously like anyone could walk in at any moment.

Her scar is smooth enough to reflect the light above her head but ragged enough to still be new. It lines her eyebrow from one tip to the other and looks wide enough to have needed some sort of stitching. Finnick is certain such things were done away with in the Capitol several decades earlier.

Lightly, so much so that he barely notices at first, her hand touches his elbow, anchoring them together as he continues to caress her forehead.

"I was fourteen," she says suddenly.

He leans back to look at her. "What happened?"

Her hesitation tells him it's not a story she's told often, maybe not even to whoever stitched it up, and he holds her hand tighter against his chest.

"You can tell me," he says as softly as he can.

"My . . . father threw . . . me," she stutters as tears well in her eyes and fall. Then she adds, "I landed against the coffee table. Mila tried to call his doctor, but I had her call Jarvis. He's from District Five."

The anger from before wells up again, and while he wants to find this man and do something horrible to him in return, Finnick knows he can't do that. He looks around, spotting the Avox on the very edge of the room and finally having some idea of what he wants to do since getting here this morning.

"We should eat," he says, pulling on Edana's hand and silently requesting her help.

She moves after half a minute, glancing back at the Avox and then stepping further away toward what he hopes is the kitchen. "It's okay, Mila," she says to the Avox.

The three of them move into another room, and Edana shows Finnick to a bar island to sit while Mila prepares two meals for them.

"Is Jarvis a doctor?" Finnick asks her as they wait.

"He's a healer, yes," she says, and he finally notices that she sounds almost normal.

Most citizens in the Capitol speak with a distinct dialect that no one in the outer-lying districts can simulate, but Edana sounds nothing like them. The accent is still slightly evident but easy to overlook.

"Did you tell him how it happened?"

"No," she says quickly. "That wouldn't be safe for him. I told him I tripped."

Her face turns beet red as she speaks, and it's clear that she's embarrassed. Finnick reaches out for her hands to hold them in his. "Why didn't you go to your father's doctor? You wouldn't have a scar at all."

Without looking at him, she answers him. "A scar is the only reminder I have. My father barely behaves like he remembers. All he cared about was the blood on the carpet he had to replace."

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"I don't want pity," she says, shaking her head but not meeting his eyes. "I want my mother back."

Finnick opens his mouth to speak, but Mila sets two plates of food in front of them before another and then another. Two flutes of amber-colored liquid are added, and then she lays silverware on the counter top. Without saying anything, they both begin eating, and Mila retreats to the edge of the room. Despite having just met Edana, Finnick finds that he can't take his eyes off her, or the black ink rising from her collar onto her neck.

To be polite, he doesn't mention it, allowing her to speak again next.

"You're kind of young to be a friend of my father's," she says between bites. Then she adds, "And a little too nice."

By now, the creamy-sauce-slathered lamb chops, chick peas and multi-colored pasta noodles are half gone, and Finnick finds that he's already full. Then there are the other two plates: one with seared veal steaks, steamed vegetables and fluffy white rice, and the other has full chicken breast halves, green bean casserole and scalloped potatoes.

Finnick avoids the question at first, eating despite his overstuffed stomach and keeping his eyes on his plate.

"Why are you here?" she asks.

A minute passes as they eat, and he finally answers her with a lie. "I told you," he says. "I'm a friend of your father's."

She sets down the fork and knife in her hands, taking a sip of her drink and then rising from the stool. "When you feel like telling me the truth, I might listen to you. Otherwise."

With that, she leaves the kitchen, walking passed Mila whose eyes are still down.

Finnick sits by himself for probably five minutes before the front door to the house opens and allows in the house's other apparent occupant.

"Mila! My dinner better be on the table."

This new male voice sets Finnick's teeth on edge, and he rises from the bar island quickly, listening to the footsteps approaching and slipping out same way Edana did.

"Where's her room?" he asks Mila softly.

She turns to the left and then points down a long hallway, obviously unable to speak but still not meeting his eyes. He doesn't wait, hurrying away so Edana's father won't see them apart. Snow made that perfectly clear. By now, Finnick should already have her relaxed and laughing at stupid jokes. Right now, he isn't doing too well.

Edana's room is easy to find even though it shouldn't be, but with the door replaced by a clear, glass panel that slides open as soon as Finnick approaches it, it's the strangest thing he's ever seen. He can still remember from his Victory Tour six years earlier that a lot of people in other districts barely had roofs over their heads, but something they all had were doors to their rooms for privacy. But it looks like Edana doesn't even have that luxury.

She looks up from the book in her hands to see him there, and after a brief pause, Finnick moves closer to the bed she's sitting on.

"I don't know anything about your father except what he does," he says regretfully. "And I was asked to come here because of you."

Putting her book down, she gazes up at him curiously. "Me?" she repeats. "Why?"

He's about to speak up like before when the glass panel slides open again. Finnick quickly sits on the bed, and then Edana's father speaks gruffly.

"Oh, good, you're here," he says to Finnick. "I trust you understand what your purpose is here. And I have paid handsomely for you, so don't make this a waste of my money."

This is all he says before turning to leave without one look in his daughter's direction.

When he's gone, she laughs.

"Now, I get it," she says. "You're not a very good liar, Finnick."

"I was trying not to make a bad first impression," he says sheepishly. "It doesn't change anything I said before we ate. You can tell me anything, Edana."

She puts the book away and scoots across the bed to where he's sitting stiffly. With her face very close to his, she speaks softly. "Get out of my room."

Then she pushes him off the bed, causing him to stumble a little as he rises from her side with his arms folded over his chest. Once he's a good three or four feet from her bed, she takes her book and opens it back to where it was before, sitting back to keep reading.

"How do you not know who I am?" he asks, genuinely curious since he's been one of the most popular Victors in the last twenty or thirty years.

"Feeling a little full of ourselves, are we?" she asks, uninterested as she turns a new page in her book.

"No," he says. "But you're the first person I've met more oblivious than I was my first year in a reaping."

She lifts her eyes to his, but still, there's no recognition. "You're not a citizen of the Capitol?" she asks.

Finnick shakes his head. "I'm from District Four. I'm a Victor, Edana."

Her book closes with a resounding echo around the room, and she shoves off her bed to face him again.

"Then that means you've killed people, and you really should get out of my room," she shouts in his face.

"Like I had a choice," he yells. "It was either me or them. Don't talk like you've never sat in front of television and watched children fighting each other until just one of them is left alive."

"I don't," she screams.

This takes him by surprise, but he recovers quickly. "Everyone watches the Games. It's mandatory."

"Tell that to my mother, because she's dead! Because my father thought it would be fun to try out a Victor's signature move on her, and he sliced her skull open! I haven't really watched a Game since I was eight when they buried her."

"How is that possible?" he demands. "Surely, your father would have made you watch them to make sure you did."

"That's why I asked Jarvis to make me sick whenever they were broadcast. It was the only way I could get through it without seeing her face and the blood and brain matter sprayed all over our old house!"

The stark honesty of her words stuns Finnick a little more than anything he's ever seen or heard, in and out of the arena. She's not crying, so obviously she's not completely healed from what happened to her. It's clear she's still so angry that tears are not yet possible for her pain.

"And before?" he asks without thinking.

She takes a quick, calming breath and turns away from him. "I was four the first time he made me watch one. All I remember is screaming and blood, and the announcer's voice describing which bone was being broken and how many died on the first day. I was ill the rest of it, and my mother kept me in my room so I wouldn't have to watch. The next year, he made me watch the Opening Ceremonies, and then my mother made up the excuse that I would watch it in my room. But I didn't. Instead, I read one of my books with the screen on mute. Every time he walked by my room, I would turn the sound up so he would think I was watching. In those few seconds, what I heard was still awful.

"It was the same when I was six and seven. When the Victors would come to the Capitol during the Victory Tour, she would make an excuse to keep me at home because the thought of seeing those people who'd killed the others gave me nightmares. After she died, I kept up appearances that I was still watching, but I never did. And when he found out that I wasn't really watching them, he forced me to sit through the first one since I was five. It was my eleventh birthday. That was when I went to Jarvis and asked him to make me something that would prevent me from having to watch. My father never really caught on because so much time would pass between Games. A year is a long time to him."

Finally, she turns and looks at him. "Which one did you win?"

"The 65th," he says simply.

There is still no recognition in her eyes as she folds her arms over her chest, mimicking him. "And how many people did you kill?"

"I don't know," he replies, adding, "I mean, I don't remember. Not as many as the other Careers, but more than the other Tributes because I was one of the last left. I wish I'd had a choice, but I didn't. There's probably a special place in Hell for me."

"Just you?"

He nods, and she takes a step closer to him.

"Tell me why you're here," she says, demanding softly.

This time, he doesn't lie. "I'm here because the President told me to come here. Because your father talked to him about you and the man you're going to marry."

Something in her eyes fades just a little, either light or hope, Finnick isn't sure, and he reaches for her to comfort her only to have her push him away. She moves across the room to the window on the world where it is still snowing, obviously upset but in no mood to have anyone be sympathetic toward her. For the first time since he started traveling back and forth between his home and the Capitol, Finnick feels sorry for one of its citizens, but more than that, he sees a young woman who is about to have a worse life than his has been so far. Winning the Games wasn't the starting point of his life, and having President Snow sell him to the highest bidders of the Capitol won't define him as a person. That's more than can be said of Edana.

"Why do you dress differently than everyone else?" he asks, moving to her side slowly. "And why did your mother always make excuses for you to not watch the Games? Wasn't she a citizen of the Capitol like your father?"

For a minute, she doesn't speak, doesn't move. Finnick is about to touch her shoulder when she pulls away from him.

"No," she says. "She was from District Eight. She was a Victor just like you. When they offered her anything she wanted, she sacrificed her freedom to live here so her children wouldn't have to be reaped the way she was when she was thirteen. My father was a lawmaker even back then, and he was the man she was married to when she was seventeen. He wasn't so mean back then apparently, but when she had two miscarriages before I was born, she became useless to him except as a trophy. Now, I won't even have that luxury."

Everything Finnick knows that's been taught to him tells him that she needs someone, anyone, to do something for her no one else will. It sounds like she at least has a friend who will help her in this Jarvis man because he's the one who gave her medicine to make it impossible for her to watch the Games for the last five years. But she needs more. It's clear she already knows what her fate will be, but it doesn't sound like she's accepted it. And why should she?

When he reaches out to comfort her again, she continues to pull away, but this time, Finnick refuses to be deterred, taking her by the shoulders and making her face him before he enfolds her in his arms as tightly as she'll allow. It's not much at first, and for several minutes, she continues to fight, but then, slowly, she stops fighting and begins to cry softly. Finnick has only really ever comforted Annie, but those times were different from this. Several people are helping Annie because of what happened to her and what she had to endure in the arena. Right now, he realizes that Edana has no one else.

Several minutes pass, and he holds her in front of her window the whole time, watching it snow and taking in the slight chill coming off the glass. This gives him a chance to look around her room, and the first thing he sees is the book shelf on the opposite wall. It's as tall as the ceiling and spans the entire wall with hundreds, if not thousands of books, and he wonders idly if she's read them all. An easel sets in the corner covered up, and stray, mismatched furniture populates the other two corners, all making a circle around the bright blue bed against the north wall of the room. A giant blue and white butterfly covers the bedspread and gives a new life to this already broken girl he's holding.

"How?" she asks after a long time.

He leans back to look at her and notices how her hair is a deeper gold in the light of her room now that the world outside has turned dark and stark white. "What?"

"I haven't cried over her death since I was twelve," she says softly.

She doesn't have to say anything else. Finnick understands instantly, holding her closer and then lifting her in his arms to carry her to the bed. He lays her down gently, stretching out in front of her and then pulling her back into his embrace. Her slightness ignites a new part of him that only one other person has even partially awakened. Her tears have given him a resolve he didn't have before he arrived here today, and her anger and stark honesty has allowed him to decide what it is he'll do while he stays with her.

He will protect her.

Sleep comes a little easier with this new presence close to him, and his body uses her warmth to help him relax more than anyone else he's ever shared a bed with. He has a dream that he's standing in the middle of an ocean with no land in sight, but in the far distance, he can see the figures standing on the horizon with their hands joined. It's too bright for him to see who they are, but one has a dark head of hair while the other's is gold. The water is warm around his ankles, and every time he moves, it creeps up his legs until it's to his knees. He has to stop before it reaches his thighs, and when he looks up, he's no closer to the two figures than he was before. Somehow, he knows he might never reach them, but he has to try. So of course, he dives into the water and starts swimming.

The sound of a door closing wakes Finnick from a deeper sleep than he's had in a while, and he opens his eyes to see the room around him as it brightens from dawn. A golden, braided head nudges his chin, and he leans back to see Edana still asleep. Without worrying of the consequences, Finnick leans forward and kisses her forehead. She needs a little care and tenderness from someone, even if she doesn't know him, and maybe he can do something to change that.

The glass panel opens then, allowing Mila in silently, and when she sees them, she bows her head, waiting. Gently, Finnick touches Edana's face, waking her as slowly as he can.

"Morning," she whispers.

He smiles and cups her cheek. "Good morning." He looks up at Mila, and Edana follows his gaze.

"Breakfast?" she requests in a tone much kinder than anyone else would use with an Avox.

Mila bows her head again and leaves.

"How long have you had her?" Finnick asks, not meaning to sound unsympathetic and failing.

"Had her?" Edana repeats. "Like she belongs to me or something?"

"That's not what I meant," he says quickly. "It's just that you're nice to her, and it's like she's more your caretaker than he is. What I should've said was how long has she been with you?"

For a minute, she considers his words and then sits up away from him. "Since before my mother died. She didn't know how to read or write when she came here, but my mother taught her. You could say we learned together even though I could speak and she couldn't. My mother tried to make her dress normal when she was alive, but after she died, Father made Mila dress in the proper uniform, and because he thinks I can't cook, he treats Mila like his housewife now, expecting her to have food on the table when he gets up in the morning and comes home at night." She pauses after saying all of this, glancing at him as he remains propped up on his elbow beside her. "I know I'm strange, Finnick. Especially here. You have no idea how much I wish I could go back to my mother's district and live there. I'd take Mila with me if I could. But after I'm married, there'll be no one here to protect her from Father."

Finnick sits up slowly to face her, unsure about what he's doing for the first time in years as he cups her face in his hands to make her look at him. "If you were old enough, I'm sure you would do it," he says. "And I'm sure you would never let anything happen to her. Just like I'm sure your mother never wanted any of this to happen to you. She protected you, Edana. And now I will. I promise for the time I'm here that I won't let anything happen to you."

He leans in and kisses her forehead again before kissing her cheek and instinctively moving his lips to touch hers, but she stops him abruptly. When he leans back to look at her, he's surprised to see anger in her eyes. It fades after half a minute and is replaced with a quiet resolve.

"It won't take Mila long to prepare breakfast for us," she says. "I should clean up and change. The guest bedroom is across the hall," she tells him pointedly.

Finnick takes this for what it is, bowing his head and then rising from the bed to leave her. Just before he steps out of the room, he glances back to see her idly rubbing her cheek, and a little part of him smiles at the victory as he leaves to get himself cleaned up for breakfast.

By the time Finnick is finished with his shower and makes his way back to the kitchen, Edana is already sitting up at the bar dressed in another simple outfit of blue pants and a green shirt. Her golden hair is again pinned up, though not braided, and with the collar of her shirt a little lower than the previous one, he can see more of the black ink peeking over her neck. He can't yet make out what it is, but he still feels a little awkward bringing it up.

Edana looks back to see him there but doesn't say anything, already eating from a plate of poached eggs, biscuits, three kinds of vegetables and chopped cubes of ham and pork. Something he hopes is orange juice is in the tall flute next to her plate, and he notices the same thing has been prepared for him. Mila is currently standing at the edge of the room the way she was before, and when he enters the room, he notices a slight crack in her exterior as she quickly lifts her head to see him and then looks down again.

He doesn't say anything, sitting up on the stool next to Edana and beginning to eat before a full minute can pass.

"How long are you going to be here?" she asks after several minutes of silence.

"I'm not sure," Finnick says honestly. "As long as the President says."

"And exactly what are you supposed to do while you're here?"

What is he supposed to say? The truth is a horrible reality that even he's having trouble swallowing, and she's so young. It sounds like her mother at least had a choice, and that choice has been taken away from Edana. How can any girl accept that everything she holds sacred to herself is being stolen because of who her father is or because her mother is no longer alive?

When he doesn't answer right away, she looks at him, the accusation in her eyes enough to make him look away. It's at this point that Finnick knows he doesn't have to say anything else. But he wants to.

"It doesn't have to be that way though," he says after a few minutes of her pulling as far from him as she can. "I won't hurt you, no matter what they tell me to do."

"You're here," she says coldly. "Isn't that enough?"

Finnick stops eating and reaches for her, turning her to face him again like he did the night before. "I swear to you that I won't let them hurt you. But I don't have a choice either. I wish I did, but I don't. There are people I love that I have to protect, just like your mother wanted to protect you."

"Yes, and look what good it did her," she shouts.

She's crying again, but she's angry too. Finnick cups her cheek again, hoping to comfort her even though he knows it's no good.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

She pushes his hand away and steps down from her stool, leaving him alone like she did at dinner, but instead of following her, he sits up at the bar by himself. He doesn't eat. Mila doesn't move into the kitchen to take the food.

Half an hour passes as Finnick sits in the kitchen alone, and then Mila moves to his side and takes his arm, pulling him from the stool and then off to a side room where it looks like most of the food is kept. At first, it seems like she's wanting to show him something, but then she starts writing on a pad next to the door.

_She likes hot chocolate._

She looks at him, but he shakes his head.

Mila points behind her at the pantry and then again at the note, and Finnick understands, nodding and moving to the shelves where she's pointing. Like nearly everything else in the Capitol, even the drinks are instantly made, and Finnick finds enough hot chocolate mix for two cups before following Mila back into the kitchen.

She shows him how to make the drink and then puts out two tall mugs that look like the coffee cups they have back home. While he's mixing and stirring, Finnick watches Mila closely, remembering what Edana told him about her and needing to know one last thing before he leaves with the tray of drinks.

"Do you know what's going to happen to her?" he asks her.

Mila stops in the midst of putting up what's been taken down for the drinks, and she hesitates before looking in his direction and nodding.

"Do you care about what happens to her?"

Again, she nods.

It's all he needs to know, turning and leaving with the tray to carry it to Edana's room. Deja vu overwhelms him as he finds her sitting on her bed, reading a book like she was the day before, and he waits for the glass panel to whoosh open before he steps inside. She doesn't look at him or say anything to him as he sets the tray on the bed.

He opens his mouth to speak, but she beats him to it.

"So now you're going to try and sweeten me up so I'll be nice to you," she says without looking at him.

"I'm not the bad guy, Edana," he says, sitting down with a sigh.

"No," she agrees. "You're not the bad guy. You're a lap dog. And I'm sure you're getting paid an extremely large amount of money for it."

Her words sting more than any he's ever heard, wounding him a little more than any horrible thing any other Capitol citizen has ever done to him so far. He turns away from her after a minute, leaning over his legs with his face in his hands.

"Actually, I'm not the one who gets paid," he says. "It's the President they pay. I don't even have the decency to be called a dog. They get better care and attention than I do. The truth is I'm just a slave. I do what I'm told, and no one gets hurt. And no one I love knows why I keep coming back. I've probably made up every excuse I can think of so they won't find out. It won't matter if I don't do what I'm supposed to, because then they'll be dead. My parents and my brothers. Mags and Annie."

A soft sniffle from her causes him to look up and see more tears in her eyes, but before he can move, she scurries off her bed away from him. Slowly, he rises and moves around the bed to where she's standing in front of the window. When he extends his hand to comfort her again, she backs away with her hands up in front of her.

"Please," she whispers. "Please just leave me alone. It's bad enough that I won't even have a say in who I marry. I might as well lose the last bit of innocence I have to him."

"But it doesn't have to be that way," he says. "You don't have to give in like that."

"You mean, like you have?" she cries.

Finnick has to concede that much, even as he takes her hands in his again. "It doesn't have to be like that now," he tells her. "It won't be like that. We can be friends, Edana. It seems like you need one right now, and so do I."

It looks like she might finally relax when the glass panel opens again, allowing her father in much like he was the night before.

"There will be time for that later," he says in the signature clipped, Capitol accent. "We're all going to dinner tonight with President Snow at his mansion. You'll both spend the rest of today getting ready at the Remake Center. I'll not tolerate any imperfections."

A soft scoff leaves her lips, and it's just enough to make her father cross the room and grab her from Finnick's hands. She doesn't resist but won't look at him when he shakes her.

"You will be respectful to me, girl," he yells in her face.

Still, she keeps her eyes on the ground.

When he lifts his hand to strike her, Finnick's feet move without his brain knowing what he'll do next, but he catches her father's arm before the man has a chance to hit her.

"Touch her like that, and I'll make sure you're sorry later," he says in a harsh, threatening tone that sounds nothing like him at all.

Edana stumbles out of her father's grasp, and he and Finnick stare each other down for a minute or two before the man speaks.

"How dare you," he shrieks. "She's my daughter, and I'll do what I want with her."

"No, you won't," Finnick warns between clenched teeth. "You don't act like a father, and I won't treat you like it until you do."

Because they're nearly the same height, when the man swings his hand out and strikes Finnick the way it looks like he wanted to strike Edana, it doesn't surprise Finnick at all. A sharp, shallow sting spreads through his cheek, and he sets his jaw hard without looking at his attacker, looking instead at Edana as she stands by watching.

"Remember your place, whore," he hisses.

He leaves without so much as a nice word to either of them, and it's clear to Finnick that Edana is not only _not_ important to her father but also has no other worth than the fact that she's the child of a past Victor.

Edana moves to Finnick's side slowly, looking at him like she's trying to figure him out with just her eyes and his actions. She touches his cheek as it still throbs from being struck, and he flinches when her fingers make contact with his skin. He doesn't make any moves to touch her, knowing she has to see something in him she's never seen in anyone else.

"I could use a friend," she says softly.

To keep the sting in his cheek from becoming worse, Finnick smiles just a little and bows his head until his face is close enough to hers for her eyes to flutter shut.

Before the hot chocolate has a chance to get cold, a car comes to the house for them all, leaving Mila alone for the rest of the day. Edana's father is dismissive of them both, sitting across from them with a look of contempt on his face and his arms folded over his chest stubbornly. Finnick tries to show Edana little consideration by sitting next to her but leaving her alone the way she's asked. But halfway to the Remake Center, she reaches for his hand to hold it in hers, and when he looks at her, she's gazing out the window away from him and her father with a little smile on her face.

* * *

_**Oh, a little warning also, I took a little liberty with a few things. Can you tell what?**_

_**For a little while, it'll just be these two while I flesh out her character, but a few more familiar faces will show up later. **_

_**Now comes the hard part. I'd really love to hear what you think about my story. It's my life's blood. But I have other stories to update, and I won't be one those authors who withholds chapters when I don't get a certain number of reviews. So what do you say? Just one teensy little review?**_

_**Surely there's enough here for you to know if this will worth your time and mine. Go on, click it. You know you want to.**_

_**I might update sooner if you do.**_

_**And, yes, the majority of this story will be told in third person, present tense. Think of it like you're Katniss observing the whole thing (Let's try not to think of how different that might be).**_


	3. A Victor's Child

_**Okay, so not a lot of opinions on this one. I see a few people following, and that makes me very happy. Thanks to all of you for being interested. But I also see a lot of people reading. What can we do to improve on that?**_

_**Anyway, here we go with Chapter Three. And I tried to paint as uncomfortable and awkward a meeting with You-Know-Who as possible while also throwing in a smattering of reflection on our two protagonists' parts.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games. But all original characters and the plot are mine.**_

_**This is all also un-beta'd, so any lingering mistakes are mine too.**_

_**This is a long chapter, so I hope we like reading about this new side of Finnick I'm sure had to always exist for him to end up where he did.**_

* * *

_**A Victor's Child**_

It has been six and a half years since Finnick has been in the Remake Center, as he's been traveling back and forth from the Capitol since two years after his victory tour and only mentored two tributes in two Games that were not consecutive. Annie's has been the most recent, and at that point, Finnick was capable of dressing himself even though the stylist assigned to Annie asked to make him look especially nice during her stay in the Capitol for her Games.

The difference now is that the stylist waiting for him won't be dressing him for interviews or Victory Tours or parties when this is over. He and Edana are escorted to the same floor but then separated between two teams. Finnick knows not to complain, even when the clothes he's wearing are discarded, never to be seen again. Once he's stripped and then hosed down with scalding hot water, most of his chest hair is removed along with all of the stubble that's begun to grow over his face.

The woman smoothing his skin looks at him adoringly, and Finnick wonders if she might think she has a chance to purchase him in the future. Her silver hair isn't what shocks him the most, because it's actually silver and shimmers in the bright lights shining down on his naked body. No, what shocks Finnick more than it should is the fact that she has tiny diamonds encrusted into her eyelashes. She's petite and slight, but it doesn't look like she's missed a meal all her life.

Another woman who's giving him a manicure and a pedicure won't look him in the face, but he can see that while her skin is bright pink, her lips are deep blue. Her shiny, smooth hair is bright purple and pinned up until it makes a point at the back of her head. She's either recognized him and can't bring herself to look at him, or all she cares about is making sure his hands and feet look their absolute best. Right now, Finnick doesn't know which direction to go with that one.

"Don't worry about anything, Mr. Odair," says the tall, broad-shouldered man with shocking crimson hair and eyebrows and yellow-tinted skin. "We'll have you looking as handsome as the day you won your Games!"

Segundo. That's his name. When he introduced himself, Finnick was sure he'd heard wrong. The woman with the silver shimmery hair is called Zelda, and she couldn't wait to get Finnick out of his clothes as soon as they cornered him off into this little pocket of privacy. His manicurist/pedicurist said her name was Clio before she began working, and she hasn't said a word since.

"Jacinda has already spoken with Mr. Clementia and President Snow," Segundo says as he begins spraying Finnick's already sensitive skin a fourth time.

Across the floor, even though it's not supposed to be possible, Finnick can just make out Edana inside a closed-off section where she's more than likely getting the same treatment as him. He wonders if she's embarrassed or self-conscious. Has her father made her do this before? Is she used to being made up like this for dinner with the President? It's not something many people can ever say they've done even once in their lives unless they were a tribute or a Victor. Is Edana's father really such an important man to Snow that he's warranted this kind of attention for so long?

Being here doing this doesn't seem normal even though Finnick is accustomed to his body being on display. When the prep team is finished with him, they shuffle him into another room where a pair of black pants and a white dress shirt is folded on the table. Finnick wonders if he's supposed to get dressed, but he doesn't until another petite woman with brilliant white hair saunters into the room dressed in a fitted pink, pinstriped skirt suit with six-inch platform shoes.

"Please," she says gesturing to the table. "Get dressed. I made sure they were the right size. My name is Jacinda."

While he pulls on the pants and shirt, she sits on the couch and watches him.

"Word was you needed to look presentable for dinner with President Snow," she says and then nods for him to sit down. "Of course, I don't know how much more presentable you can be, so I decided to go for something simple. You must be hungry. I had them prepare you something while Segundo was getting you ready."

She presses a button on the couch, and the table in front of them splits open, allowing a tray to rise up filled with all varieties of fruit, cheese, green and orange dipping sauce surrounded by sugar coated, shredded wheat crackers.

"How long have I been here?" Finnick asks, reaching for a strawberry and dipping it in the green sauce.

"Nearly three and a half hours. Your dinner with the President isn't for another four hours. Just enough time to get you ready. The young beauty with you, on the other hand, we'll have a few additional things to do for her."

Finnick sits up straight when she says this, not liking the way it sounds at all.

This is the last that Edana is mentioned, especially when Finnick is shown to another room and sat in front of a full mirror. His shirt is removed but not discarded, and Jacinda has Segundo, Clio and Zelda come back for the next round of preparation. Now that his hair has been washed again, it's trimmed and then the real magic will begin apparently. First, the swollen skin on his cheek.

From that moment to when it's time to leave, the feeling of being ogled and touched too much grows to the point that Finnick is glad when it's over. Jacinda even apologizes for Zelda and wishes him a good dinner before he's escorted back to the elevator that will take him away from the people still watching him.

The suit he's wearing is tight and uncomfortable, pulling on his shoulders and cutting into his neck, but he doesn't take anything off or make any adjustments. He's actually been in a suit like this before, so he just has to endure it. The men escorting him take him all the way down alone and then show him to a different car than the one he arrived in. Finnick starts to asks about Edana, but the door closes, and he realizes he's not alone.

"Good evening, Mr. Odair."

He looks up to see President Snow there in a suit of his own, and for a few precious seconds, Finnick's heart almost stops.

"I trust you remember the order of how this is going to go," Snow says without looking at Finnick. "With the girl."

Finnick sits up straight, and the collar tightens around his neck. "I have," he answers a little stiffly.

Snow nods. "Good."

This is only thing he says as the car moves through the streets of the Capitol toward his mansion. Finnick wonders if there's anything else he needs to know, but he's afraid to ask.

The President's mansion is lit up like there's a fancy party being held, but when they stop and get out, Finnick knows there won't be any guests aside from the four of them. The Avoxes at the front door bow their heads but otherwise do not acknowledge Finnick or Snow. In the last four years, Finnick has been inside this mansion a total of four times, and never once has he ever been this nervous.

Another Avox walks them through the house to a large greenhouse filled with hundreds, if not thousands of roses of every color imaginable. Finnick notices that most of the roses though are white. They're led through what feels like a maze before arriving at a long table set for five people. Confusion overwhelms Finnick for several seconds until he hears the clicking of heels against the stone steps that make the pathways of the greenhouse and looks up to see Edana there with a man he's never seen before.

This must be Edsel Thane, the man her father is making her marry.

Thane is wearing the same kind of suit as Finnick and Snow, except it's bright green, and he looks much larger in it, more comfortable, at that. His dark hair is slicked back from his face, and his black beard is neatly trimmed in a strange pattern that makes his pale skin stand out even more. But his eyes are stark blue, in complete contrast to the rest of him. There is no smile on his face as he escorts Edana toward them. In fact, he barely looks like he cares that he's standing next to her.

Edana looks nothing like the sixteen-year-old girl from that morning who was angry and defiant of her impossible situation. Though she is still the slight girl he met the day before, her dress leaves nothing of her body to the imagination. Its shimmery sequins reflect even the lowest lights, white and blue and green as it swirls from her right shoulder to her left in an indistinguishable pattern. The hem skims the floor and the material hugs every curve of her legs and waist. Nothing dramatic has been done to her face, but while her face is clearly meant to be luminous because of the gentle glow of her cheeks, Finnick can already see that it's just a trick of the light. She is neither happy, nor content. Whatever light is inside her, it's not a soft glow. It is a burning flame.

When she lifts her eyes to Finnick's, her warm golden brown eyes are not the only part of her that captures him. Her golden hair is again braided and knotted together at the crown of her head with an intricate braid still lining her back. A white rose adorns the crown of her head along with the knot of hair, and another rose is threaded through her hair at the left side of her head. There is no hope in Edana's eyes. But still, her blank expression says to Finnick that she hasn't given up entirely.

If the front of her dress was stunning, the back is even more so, even though most of it is gone, revealing the most of the black ink on her skin to be the most detailed tattoo of a butterfly that Finnick has seen yet. It spreads from her neck to her shoulder blades and the bottom of her spine, which is visible just above the line of the sequin dress as it barely covers her. Thane moves Edana toward her place to sit, touching her back without any reservation, and she visibly stiffens.

Finally, Edana's father, Delmore arrives, wearing his own suit that's iridescent blue and striding up to Snow's side with a pleased expression on his face. He says nothing to Finnick or Edana, addressing Thane and shaking his hand before gesturing to the table for them to all sit. Nothing else is said, and dinner is served.

The only thing Finnick knows throughout dinner is that he has no idea what Snow, Delmore and Edsel are talking about. Something to do with crops coming from District Eleven and a new transportation model coming out of District Six. Finnick doesn't see how those two things have anything to do with each other, but the nine courses of the meal begin to blur together until he simply can't eat anymore.

The first time he refuses an Avox refilling his glass, Snow glances at him but says nothing. Then when he pushes his plate away to signal that he's finished, the President stops eating and wipes his mouth.

"Something wrong, Mr. Odair?" he asks.

"No, sir. I've just had my fill for the night. Don't mind me."

Snow smiles and then laughs, glancing at his other guests. "How am I supposed to ignore one of my guests not eating this delicious food that has been prepared specifically for this meal?"

Finnick shrugs and then shakes his head. "I mean no disrespect. If it matters, I might ask to be excused. But that would be in bad taste."

Delmore and Edsel exchange glances but say nothing.

The Avox next to Finnick moves in to take his plate, and Snow nods minimally, giving permission. Once that is out of the way, Finnick also wipes his mouth and rises slowly.

"Please excuse me," he says, glancing at Edana before he smiles and walks away.

He only makes it around a shallow corner before Delmore speaks.

"Well, we shouldn't allow an ungrateful heathen to disrupt our evening," he says. "Edsel, please continue. I want to hear how things are progressing with the Peacekeepers in District Eleven."

The feet of a chair scrape against the stone pieces, and Finnick steps forward just in time to see Edana walk away from the table. Edsel moves to grab her, but she jerks her arm from his hand before he can stop her.

"After she's been with me a few weeks," Edsel says, "I'll put a stop to that."

Neither Snow nor Delmore offers a disagreement, and this is what makes Finnick move from where he's stopped.

The greenhouse truly is a maze, and several times, Finnick is sure he's lost. But he follows the sound of Edana's shoes to find her near the edge of the greenhouse. It's warm inside the greenhouse while outside it's snowing again, and the glass of the greenhouse walls are slightly fogged over to blur the outside world. If Finnick were not in an uncomfortable suit, it would be almost perfect inside this maze.

There is a slight chill coming off the glass the same as it did in Edana's room, and for a slight second, the air around her head vaporizes and then rises into the top of the greenhouse. Finnick stops probably ten feet from her, waiting for her to say something, but for a long time, it's quiet.

"That's him, isn't it?" he asks her eventually, referring to Edsel.

She bows her head only a little, answering him silently.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

"Don't be."

Slowly, he moves to her side. "But I am. He doesn't deserve you. And you deserve — "

"I wish I was dead," she says, lifting her chin and then holding her gaze to the night sky as it shines through the foggy glass.

"Because of him? You shouldn't wish something like that because of him. He's not worth that, Edana."

"It's not that," she says as she shakes her head. "I wish it because of my mother. I wish it because there was so much she never told me and probably never planned to, and there are days when I hate her for it. I don't want to hate her because of what she did in the Games, and I don't want to hate her because she married my father. I wish he'd killed me when he threw me that day. I would be with her, and this would not be happening."

So that he won't startle her, Finnick gently lifts his fingertips to her cheek and then the black ink over her neck. "Is that why you were mad when I told you I was a Victor?" he asks.

"I don't know. And it's not that I was mad. All the other Victors I've met, aside from my mother and — They're all barbarians. They're all cruel and heartless. Most of them are from District One and Two. Like _him_. Sometimes, I wonder what my mother was thinking, wanting to live here. All of these people are little and insignificant, and they have no idea how much everyone else is suffering. They don't even care."

Finnick lowers his hand to hers and pulls her to a marble bench to sit down. When she shivers from the cool air seeping through the glass, he pulls off his suit jacket and drapes it over her shoulders. Half a minute passes before he then takes the roses from her hair, leaving them on the bench as she reaches out and unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt. The pressure on his neck releases immediately, and for the first time in two hours, Finnick sucks in as deep a breath as he can.

"You looked uncomfortable when I saw you," she says.

"I was," he admits. "Much more than I expected."

For another few minutes, they sit without talking.

The watering system switches on while they're sitting there, and a light sheen of mist undulates down from the ceiling of the greenhouse.

"Why did you do that?" she asks suddenly.

"Do what?" he asks. "Leave dinner too soon."

She shakes her head but doesn't clarify what she means. Finnick doesn't need her to.

The light from outside catches her eyes and then her cheeks, and this time, when Finnick touches her cheek, she lifts her hand to his.

"I'm not a barbarian, Edana," he tells her. "I'm not heartless or cruel. I won't lie and say that I only won my Games because I was quicker than everyone else and more merciful. If I hadn't done what I did, I would be dead. There were people back home who needed me, and I wasn't about to let them down. Those things have left their scars on me, and I won't ever recover. Some Victors are ruthless, yes. And many of them are cunning and blood-thirsty. Some of them train all their lives. I trained too, but I had only been doing so for a few years when I was reaped. Your mother was so young. Whatever she did, she did it because she had to. And Victors are offered a lifetime of comfort and money and whatever their heart's desire. She became a citizen of the Capitol to save you, to save her family. I was offered a different future, and if I hadn't agreed to it, my family would have been killed. Not once have I ever really wanted to defy that agreement. Until now. Until you. And your father wants you to just accept what's happening. You haven't. So that's why I did it."

With his hand still on her face and her hand still on his, Edana lifts her other hand to his right cheek. "You look much more handsome this way than any of them," she says softly. "My father tries to look like the President, and of course, Edsel Thane tries to look like my father. I've never understood the need to emulate someone. My mother didn't either. Even when she took me through the city, she dressed me the way she would have in her District. So now that she's gone, I try to still do that. The normal clothes are more difficult to come by here, but Jarvis helps."

The mention of this man makes Finnick more curious than he's been in a while, but he wants to keep their conversation as private as possible, deciding to comment on her appearance instead of asking more questions. "You look beautiful," he says. "And nothing like the other women in the Capitol. None that I've seen anyway. The blue and green obviously compliments your skin."

Slowly, he leans forward so that his lips are close to her ear. "I think we should keep talk of your mother confined to a safe place, don't you?"

Their combined warmth causes a new cloud of vaporous breath to billow around their heads, and Finnick lays his forehead against the side of her head.

"And what about the talk of what it is you do for the President?" she whispers. "And why he chose you to do this when it's clear he could've chosen someone who would have already finished his bidding by now?"

Her bluntness stuns Finnick to the point that he has to lean back so he can look at her. Cupping her face in his hands and watching as she wraps her hands around his arms, Finnick scoots a little closer to her.

"It's complicated," he says carefully. "And here is not the best place for me to air any of the things I've been made to do. Snow still watches me like a hawk, and he'll know if I do or say anything against him."

She sighs and lowers her eyes, disappointed, but he moves closer to her and dips his head a little to touch the tip of her nose with his.

"Only not here," he says. "When we leave here. You must have a place in your home where your father never goes."

When she lifts her head to look at him, the surprise in her eyes of his closeness is so clear, but he cannot move for fear that someone might be watching them.

"There is," she confirms. Her lips brush against his gently, and a strange sensation he hasn't felt in a very long time tremors its way up his spine. "If you're going to kiss me, you might as well do it now while we're alone."

Of all the women he's been with here in the Capitol, of all the things he's done in the last four years, none of those things have prepared him to do something like this. Those women were all strange and frivolous, using his body and his status to make themselves feel powerful and important, and that was without mentioning the men who watched.

None of those people had ever astonished him with their innocence and defiance, and yet Edana is astonishing to Finnick. It is not his wish to take away her innocence, but he knows he has no choice. Still, it is something different to be sitting in the President's massive, maze-like green-house with her and have the ability to do this in relative privacy.

"Has anyone ever kissed you before?" he asks, laying his forehead against hers again.

Her head shakes just once from left to right. "No."

"And you really want it to happen like this?"

She leans her face into his again, and her lips caress his again. "Better you than him," she whispers. "And we're friends, yes?"

This makes Finnick smile for a reason he's unaware of at the moment, and lightly, he touches her lips with his. It's so light that he wonders if he's really done it, but then her hands tighten around his arms, drawing him centimeters closer until there's only one direction for him to go. First, he captures her upper lip in both of his, feeling her gasp for a soft breath before he lowers his lips to her bottom lip. It's awkward for her at first, but as the seconds pass, she learns quickly. Slowly, he moves his hand from her face to the side of her body, feeling goosebumps over the skin of her back and releasing her lips to lean back at look at her.

She speaks before he can. "Is — Is that what it's always like?" she asks, obviously surprised by what's just happened despite her insistence of it even occurring.

"No," he says, shaking his head, surprised himself. "It's . . . never been like that before."

"Did I do it well?"

Finnick smiles again and rubs her chin gently, nodding. "Yes, very — Very well. Clearly, you've inherited a quick study from your mother."

Edana smiles too, for the first time really smiles, and Finnick is about to kiss her again when a deep utterance from the distance stops him.

"Ahem!"

When Finnick leans away from Edana to see a Peacekeeper standing a good ten feet away, he knows it's time to go. Gently, he takes Edana's hand in his to help her to her feet, and after a minute, the Peacekeeper turns to lead them out of the greenhouse.

The car that carried them to the Remake Center is waiting, and when Finnick sits inside with Edana, Delmore is already sitting where he was before with the same expression on his face as before. He says nothing to either of them as the car moves, carrying them away from the President's mansion. It's only by chance that Finnick looks at Edana after a few minutes, discovering her to be touching her lips idly. Unlike any of the other women he's kissed, this makes Finnick smile. He tries to keep his head down so her father won't see, but it's difficult.

Upon arriving back at his home, Delmore exits the car first, still disregarding his daughter and Finnick and entering the house to disappear into its massive underground floor. Finnick climbs out of the car and turns to help Edana, walking her the steps to the front door where Mila is waiting for them. There is a questioning in her eyes, and Finnick nods that everything is all right. With that out of the way, Mila shows them to the opposite end of the house where Edana's room and the guest room are situated.

Even after being thoroughly scrubbed clean at the Remake Center, Finnick still feels the need to take a shower after he's removed the clothes that have made him feel like he's been bound this entire time. He's just coming out of the washroom when he hears the faint sound of someone calling his name.

"Finnick?"

Thankfully, he's brought a pair of pants into the washroom with him, and he pulls them on before opening the door to the bedroom where Edana is standing next to the glass door in a simple white gown with her golden hair undone but pulled back from her face. She still jumps a little when she sees him, holding her breath and then huffing softly.

"Edana?"

For a few seconds, she looks to be at a loss for words until she looks up at his face again. "I — I wanted to show you something," she says.

Normally, if a client said something like this to him, it was because there was some contraption they wanted to attach him to for furthering their perverse fascination or deep desire to have a Hunger Games Victor at their mercy. But there is so much innocence is Edana's voice that Finnick is unable to deny her anything. He finds a shirt from his bag and then moves to her side as she remains at the door.

"After you," he says.

She smiles a second time and takes his hand in hers, pulling him from the room and then further down the hall from the main part of the house.

Because most of the house is all on one level, with the exception of the underground room Delmore has on the opposite side of the house, it's much larger than most of the houses around it. The living room, kitchen and dining room are all bigger than most of the rooms Finnick has been inside, except the President's mansion of course. Edana leads Finnick to the western-most part of the house that starts at two large white, intricately-carved, double doors, and when she opens the doors, a wall of warmth hits his face as he steps into an even larger room that resembles the President's greenhouse.

The walls and roof are all glass, and the room in split into four pockets of greenery that all rise into the ceiling that has to be at least a hundred feet high. But included in this space that was not in the President's greenhouse is a sitting area of rod-iron furniture with green-and-white-striped cushions and then further along the stone steps is a glass table set for dining.

"You have a greenhouse," Finnick says, awestruck and uncertain why.

He has seen grander rooms than this, but for some reason, this particular room has stunned him more than any of those.

"Technically, it's a conservatory," Edana says, still holding his hand and pulling him to the sitting area. "The plants are here to keep the temperature regulated, and the heating and cooling systems keep the glass free of dust and snow. My mother and I used to sit out here a lot. Mila would serve us dinner, and I paint out here too."

"What about your father?" he asks as they sit down.

"He hates it out here. And since my mother died, he's refused to eat out here. But thankfully, he's hardly ever home. So this is where I come when I want to think of my mother."

Finnick cannot help but gaze at everything in wonder. It's even more comfortable out here than in the President's greenhouse, and Edana looks a hundred times more at ease in this place than anywhere else.

The same amount of her tattoo peeks over the neckline of her gown, but with her hair down, Finnick can only see the part of it that remains unidentifiable unlike the detail he saw on her back. Unconsciously, his fingers caress the black ink, and Edana pulls her legs up to her chest so her feet are propped on the cushion beneath her.

"How long have you had this?" he asks, knowing she'll understand what he means.

"Since I was nine," she says softly, almost regretfully. Then she adds, "At least, that's when it started. It was about a year after my mother died."

"Why?"

"My father requested it, because he said she had prevented me from it all my life, so I had a lot of catching up to do. When he realized that I was getting it done in a place nearly no one would ever see, it was almost finished, but he yelled at me for over an hour — about how embarrassing it was for him. I was fourteen."

Two seemingly unrelated things come into perfect focus then, and Finnick scoots closer to her, draping his arm over her shoulders to hold her against him and pressing his lips to her hair. He doesn't expect her to say anymore, but then she does.

"Jarvis had only been gone a few hours when Mila sent for him to come back. I had to tell him to bring his portable kit. I was sitting in the floor with a soaked towel against my forehead when he arrived. I think he knows I lied, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want me to have a scar, but I told him why it was so important, so he didn't disagree with me."

The questions from earlier bubble up again, and this time, Finnick knows it's okay to ask. "How do you know him? And why is he here in the Capitol? If he's from District Five."

She hesitates but doesn't sit away from him, laying her head over his shoulder and staying quiet for a few minutes before speaking again.

"My mother knew him from before I was born," she says. "And she trusted him. After she died, he kept looking after me. He said she would want that. And he's really nice. He's been more of a father to me than the one I've lived with my entire life. He still comes by once a week to make sure I'm okay, especially after Edsel Thane started coming around more."

Finnick squeezes her gently. "It sounds like Jarvis really cared about your mother," he says. "And it sounds like he really cares about you. But that doesn't explain what he's doing here in the Capitol." He nudges her back to make her look at him, gently caressing her scar and then her cheek. "It's all right, Edana. You can tell me anything. No one else will know."

"It's not that," she says, shaking her head. "My father has been talking to the President since he decided to marry me to Edsel Thane. Every time I say or do something he thinks is bad, he tells Snow. I don't like that man," she whispers as her voice trembles. "I mean, I used to hate my father, but now I just feel sorry for him. And Thane is nothing but a puppet. I get that. But Snow is . . . evil. He looks at me like he knows me, and I don't want him to know me at all. If my father knew what I know, he would tell Snow. And Jarvis would get hurt. It's not his fault. Just like it wasn't my mother's fault. Like it's not yours."

Her comparison makes Finnick realize something new, but before he can say anything, she stops him with her fingers on his lips.

"Can we just sit here and not talk?" she pleads. "It's been a long time since I had a friend. I want to have this moment for as long as possible. Please?"

His curiosity is fighting against this need inside him to protect her from everything it seems like she's already been through, and the need to protect wins. He nods and holds her closer, allowing her warmth to combine with his even as he takes in his surroundings a second time. The top of the conservatory is clear of snow, just like she said, and there's already about a foot of it on the ground outside. But the inside of the conservatory stays warm.

Edana falls asleep in his arms after they sit there long enough for it to be quiet and still. He carries her back to her room, thinking enough to slip her under the blankets on her bed, and even though he knows they both need a little space, he can't leave her, backing up to the chair near the window and reclining in it as he watches her. He eventually falls asleep himself, having another dream that is even stranger than the one before it.

This time, he's in a boat, floating along the waves as they carry him toward destinations unknown. He's rowing helplessly, trying to get somewhere safe but unable to see where he's going. Like in the other dream, when he looks behind him, he sees two figures on the horizon. They're blurry, but these figures are larger and more imposing than the two from before. Without thinking of it, he knows one of these figures is Snow. The white hair and rigid stance give that much away. The other is not so easy to distinguish, but Snow is holding them by the shoulder. A hostage. But who?

A hand shaking him wakes Finnick abruptly, and his eyes snap open to see Edana above him with a little grin on her face.

"You were mumbling," she says. "Everything okay?"

He looks around, taking in his surroundings again and unconsciously stretching in the chair he fell asleep in before he looks at her again. "Are you okay?" he asks, gently taking her hand in his.

She nods and then pulls on his hand for him to get up. "My father's gone for the day," she tells him, sitting back down on her bed and pulling him with her.

Despite their kiss from the night before, Finnick hesitates. "Are you sure you this is a good idea?" he asks, still holding her hand and then touching her cheek.

"Well, it's warmer here," she says obliviously. "And Mila won't start breakfast for another hour. My father left early this morning for some reason, and if we're going to talk, we have to do it when he's gone. Don't worry, Finnick. You'll know if you've gone too far."

Slowly, after a sigh and a glance around the room, he kneels onto the bed and then slips under the blanket with her. The first thing he knows is that she's right. It is much warmer in the bed than the chair. He hadn't noticed the night before, but now it's just obvious. Finnick is trying to give Edana space, but it doesn't seem like that's what she wants anymore.

For a minute, it's awkward because the bed is still a little small for two people, but when she moves in closer and wraps her arms around him, the space feels just right. Their legs entangle gently, and he holds her as close as he can, kissing the top of her head.

"Are you comfortable?" he whispers.

She nods. "You?"

"It's better than the chair," he agrees.

Her nose and lips press against the side of his neck, and softly, she begins speaking. "My mother used to hold me whenever I had bad dreams. She would sing to me until I was calmed down, and then we would talk about my dreams. The bad ones, and the good. But it's been a while since I had a good dream."

"What did you dream about?" he asks, trying to hide the chills that shake down his spine and then back up to his neck.

"The Games. My father. Dying in the Games because of my father. Sometimes, it's the same dream. I'm one of the tributes from District Eight, and I die the first day in the bloodbath of the Cornucopia. Or I last the first day only to get killed the second day. It's always a Career that kills me, and I never die quickly. Sometimes, I bleed to death. Sometimes, I'm tortured. I know that doesn't happen, but I still think it. My mother always told me she would keep me safe from that. But now she's gone. Now I don't have anyone to do that anymore. Not even Jarvis."

Finnick leans back and nudges her back to look at her. "That's not true," he tells her. "You have me, Edana. I'll keep you safe from that."

"But you're not staying."

"I'm here now. And I won't let anything bad happen to you while I am. I swear."

The way she looks at him next is unlike how any person ever has. For four years, Finnick has been at the mercy of some of the strangest people he's ever known, and they've never been able to crack him. He's always had to hold up this facade of being unaffected by what's happened to him — to the Capitol and the President, to his family and friends. Annie. But no one has ever looked at him the way Edana is right now. It can't be that she understands, but somehow, it looks like she's starting to.

She kisses him first this time, grasping onto his shoulders and scooting up a little so that she's in front of him. An unconscious swipe of his tongue causes her to gasp against his lips, but only for a second to realize what he's done. She's not offended or even scared, kissing him again and taking her cues from him even as the part of his body that always responds to this begins to make itself known.

This is what makes her stop. They're both breathless and clinging to each other differently from how he's ever felt, and the startled look in her eyes brings him back into the knowledge that she's never done this before.

She doesn't have to say anything. He knows to stop, and even though he doesn't leave her, he scoots back to give her space.

"This should be happening with someone who loves you," he tells her. "Not because it's inconvenient for your father."

Gently, she caresses his cheek, whispering sadly. "There are some things you can't change."

Angrily, Finnick shoves off the bed and steps across the room, stopping in front of the window so she won't see how angry he really is.

This is wrong!

What kind of man forces his daughter to marry a man she doesn't know? How can he even call himself her father to make her think she doesn't have a choice in any of this?

None of these people know what's best for her. Why are they the ones who get to decide how it happens?

Now that he's angry, it's easy to face her without her seeing what she's done to him. "I won't do this until you're ready," he says. "I don't care what your father or the President wants. What do you want? Do you want to do this now?"

He can tell she's surprised that he's even asking, and she shakes her head.

"No."

"Then it won't happen now."

She glances back at the glass door, afraid for a second as she speaks. "But what about —"

"I don't care about them," he says again. "You deserve someone to show you a little consideration for once. If that has to be me, then so be it. I'm not a barbarian, Edana. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only friend you have right now. I'm going to act like it."

Finnick moves back to the bed and sits in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I don't want you to do anything different because I'm here. Right now, my place is with you, so whatever you normally do, I will do it with you. So we'll eat breakfast and read and paint and talk, and whatever happens will happen."

Either the way he's been with her so far or the tone of his voice right now eases her fears for the moment, and she tightens her hands around his, breathing deep and then nodding.

"All right," she says, agreeing.

This is the last anything like that is talked about, and because Delmore doesn't bother them coming into the house or leaving for the next three days, this is exactly how it is. Instead of sharing the bed, Finnick sleeps on a mattress on the floor, sometimes finding his way into the bed with her at odd hours of the night and then waking with her in his arms. They eat breakfast every morning in the kitchen, and Mila makes lunch for them every day, bringing it to them in the conservatory before they spend the afternoon reading or talking while Edana paints on the easel that Finnick saw in her room his first day.

After the third day alone, Delmore again makes his presence known, but because Finnick has spent enough time around Edana, being comfortable around her and making Delmore uncomfortable with their closeness is easy.

The only subject that Edana is hesitant to talk about is Jarvis. Over three days, Finnick only finds out three more things about this man who is so important to Edana. Not only is he from District Five, but he's also a past Victor of the Games, though Edana won't say which one. Jarvis was the one to look after Edana with Mila after her mother died, and he still visits her once a week to make sure she's all right after the accident two years earlier where her father injured her so badly.

But how he knows Edana's mother? She won't talk about it. Why he lives in the Capitol? It's not something she feels safe talking about just yet. It isn't until she's asleep at night a week after Finnick arrived that he takes it upon himself to find out the answers she either won't give him or can't because she's afraid. That it scares her to reveal these things to him surprises Finnick unlike anything has in a long time. Edana has been so strong and open with him, but this truly terrifies her.

Archival footage of previous games isn't difficult to come by, but because Finnick has no idea what he's looking for, he has to start at a place where he thinks he might find Edana's mother and maybe Jarvis as well. Because they're both past Victors, it's obvious they couldn't have been in the same arena. Edana's mother was from District Eight, and unlike Districts One, Two and Four, there aren't as many of those. It's the same with Five. That will help.

But what will truly help is a name.

Finnick realizes while he's looking that this entire time, though it's only been a week, he hasn't even asked for the name of Edana's mother.

It's morning before Finnick can get through the first two Games of District Eight Victors. There have only been four, and Finnick hasn't come across any young female victors. In fact, the two he's seen have both been seventeen-year-old boys. One of them being Woof. Clearly capable of winning as they were both well-built and over six feet tall.

Delmore leaves the house for work presumably, and Finnick sees Mila in the kitchen making breakfast before he goes to wake Edana. He's been using the television in the guest room to watch the footage, but everything else he's brought with him is now in Edana's room with her. She's happy to see him when he wakes her, and he lays down with her while she clears away the sleep in her eyes, asking her the one question he should have days earlier.

"All this time, I should've asked, and I feel horrible for not being more considerate, but I wondered if you could tell me your mother's name."

It's a curious question, certainly, but as soon as he's asked it, she strokes his cheek and then caresses his lips.

"Saffron," she says softly. "Her name was Saffron."

* * *

_**So what do you think? Good, bad, meh? At this point, I think any opinion I get would be a good one, at least since I'd be getting something.**_

_**Anyway, like I said, I tried to balance it out. Not sure if I've succeeded, but time will tell.**_

_**The next chapter will either be a few days out or some time next week. Not sure just yet.**_

_**Everybody have a great day!**_


	4. Fighting Gene

_**I know, I know. It's been a while. Thanks to everyone still reading. I've been a bit busy with my original stories, but don't worry. I'm still working on this one.**_

_**We're back in the "present" with this one, with Finnick and Katniss in the hummingbird room. I know it's tiny, and I promise to update tomorrow so there's a little more to read.**_

_**I also hope to give a little more info about background characters, but that's for later.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games, or these characters even though I love them to bits. The original characters however are mine.**_

_**I edited this the best I could, but I'm human and miss things, so if I have, let me know. I'll try to fix it.**_

_**Enjoy, even if it's only a little.**_

* * *

_**Fighting Gene**_

"Saffron," I say when Finnick tells me this girl's mother's name. "I don't remember her. But if it was in Haymitch's time, then I guess I wouldn't. What Games did she win?"

"The 48th. Johanna's mother remembered her."

The space around us is deathly quiet as we wait to hear word of Peeta and Annie. How much time has gone by? An hour? Two?

"And Jarvis won three years later," Finnick says. "The year after Haymitch. It wasn't something Snow had planned, so of course no one ever heard about it. But I watched them win. Like I said, you'd be surprised how many people are just like us."

"She sounds like she did the best she could with what she had," I say of Edana because she sounds like a strange combination of me and Prim. "Her mother must have passed a fighting gene on to her. And that man sounds like an evil, decrepit swine to treat her that way. You'd think he would have appreciated her a little more because of her mother. I guess it's good that she had Jarvis to look after her. And Mila."

Finnick nods, smiles, but doesn't continue, and something else he said before catches my attention.

"After Johanna's Games," I say, and Finnick nods again. "Was Johanna there when you were? For her Victory Tour?"

The smile on his face widens a little, and he nods a third time, but then he frowns and the lines on his forehead become more prominent.

"So you have known her a long time. Tell me," I plead.

Listening to him talk about this visit to the Capitol that was not that long after Johanna's Games is making me think of them, and while I don't know exactly how much of it he still remembers, I do know that Haymitch was especially acidic that year in the Square for the Reaping. I remember being relieved that I wasn't chosen for the second year in a row, but the girl and boy chosen had both been under sixteen and especially poor, poorer even than me, Prim and our mother.

They were both killed within a day or two, but Haymitch had been gone the entire time until Johanna was crowned Victor and sent back to District Seven. I know because I remember seeing him in the Hob buying white liquor from Ripper.

"_Hadn't seen you in a couple of weeks," she says to him as he slides money across the counter and takes three bottles off her hands._

"_Thought I'd stay for the party," he jokes, glancing around but not seeing me before he leaves without saying anything to anyone._

Haymitch once said that a lot of the Victors were his friends. Was Johanna one of them? And Finnick? Why else would he want Peeta and I to be allies with them? Surely, it couldn't have just been for the rebellion, especially because of Chaff, who was so much like Haymitch it was a little scary.

Johanna wasn't very impressive the first few days in the arena of her Games, only turning the tables on the tributes left when she was sure they didn't even remember she was still alive. Finnick was kind of the same way even though it seems unlikely that anyone wouldn't notice him.

He's kind of hard to miss.

"Well, I was, but you interrupted me," he says with a grin, teasing me just like he used to, and even in the midst of all my thinking.

I grin back. "It's normal for me to have questions, Finnick," I tell him. "The fact that this girl existed is amazing. That she was a child of a Victor that I've never heard of seems impossible. And if Johanna knew her, why didn't she say anything? And what about Haymitch?"

"I can explain, but you have to stop interrupting me."

His tease edges at me, but I agree.

"No more," I say, "unless I absolutely have to."

With that, he begins again, starting where he left off and having forgotten about his rope for the time being.

* * *

_**Now for the difficult part, because piecing together information about past Games is NOT an easy task. There's so little information about them in the books when it doesn't have to do with a main character like Haymitch or Johanna. So it only makes sense to tie the past of my character to them. Good idea? Bad idea?**_

_**Also, I was wondering about making stories about Saffron and Jarvis. Weird names? Strange? **_

_**Okay. That's all I got now. See you tomorrow.**_


	5. What's Right & What's Wrong

_**Okay, so back into the thick of the story. And here comes when the difficult stuff starts. I mean, how many people can adequately show a character they don't like and do it well enough that it feels like the character they know? Oh, it's not easy.**_

_**I am, of course, talking about President Snow. Not gonna lie, not a big fan of his, but he's necessary for the story, so I'll be brave and weather his quiet abrasiveness. That's the only word I can think of to describe it. He's worse than a snake. Don't know how that's possible, but anyway.**_

_**We'll also get our first glimpse at another familiar face. Three guesses who.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins is a genius, and it all belongs to her. But all the original characters and this story are mine.**_

_**Also, I edit my own stories to the best of my ability, but I miss stuff, so if I do, just let me know. I'll try to fix it.**_

_**Enjoy this longer chapter!**_

* * *

_**What's Right & What's Wrong**_

A day later, Finnick has only had a chance to pinpoint which Games is the first one he's looking for. No chance to watch it has presented itself because the day after he learns this information, President Snow comes to the house to check on Finnick's progress. When he arrives, Finnick and Edana are in the conservatory alone, painting and joking about the color of a flower from her mother's district. That leads them to laugh when Edana stabs the end of her paintbrush into his shirt, and he taps the end of her nose with his just as a deep voice causes all of it to come to screeching halt.

"I've always preferred white," Snow says, and they both turn to see him there.

It's the middle of the afternoon, and Delmore is still away from the house. Finnick knows this because the overbearing man sent word at noon that he wouldn't be back until well after dark. This means they're alone in the house with Mila who's currently putting away dishes used at lunch.

"But any color of a flower can be beautiful," the president continues in a calm, removed tone. "Mr. Odair."

Finnick stands up straight while standing between the President and Edana, gripping the paintbrush in his hand and turning to face their visitor.

"Ms. Clementia."

Edana doesn't speak, still holding her paintbrush but also wrapping her other hand around Finnick's arm. He glances back at her without saying anything, allowing her to slip her hand into his before he looks at Snow again.

"Sir," he says as steadily as he can despite his whole body starting to shake.

Somehow, the imposing man notices that he's startled them and proceeds to apologize. "Please forgive my manners," he says with a confident smile. "I was simply in the neighborhood and decided to pop in for a few minutes to see how you're doing. You've been in the Capitol a week, and here I've only seen you once until today. How do you think you're doing?"

The double meaning in Snow's words sends a sharp set of chills through Finnick's already tense frame, and he again looks at Edana before answering.

"I think I'm doing fine, sir," he says carefully. "Still getting acclimated, but it's been a long week."

"Yes, it has," Snow says, stepping over just a half-step to look over Finnick's shoulder at Edana.

Already, she's clinging to him with both hands, and there isn't any closer for them to be with Snow just a couple of feet away.

"Of course," Snow continues, "I hadn't really intended to have you in the Capitol so long, Mr. Odair. Are you having any trouble with the task I gave you when last I spoke to you?"

Blushing and shaking and feeling his muscles hard as stone, Finnick shakes his head. "No, sir. No trouble."

Snow nods but doesn't smile. "Good. Because I was beginning to think something was wrong. Silly me. I'll let you both get back to what you were doing before I interrupted." He turns to leave but then stops midstep and half-turns back to them. "I did happen to think of another gathering you might like to attend," he says. "Our new Victor will be coming on her Victory tour in just a few days. Perhaps it will not trouble you to attend, seeing as you're already here."

Exhaling heavily but still on point, Finnick nods. "I would be honored, President Snow."

"Wonderful. I'll send a car to pick you up and take you to prepare for the day, and I'll see you in attendance with your lovely new friend. Good day, Mr. Odair."

He doesn't say or do anything else, turning and leaving until he disappears down the hall to the front room and then out the front doors. Finnick watches as Mila closes the door and then looks back at him. Whether she's heard the whole exchange or not isn't clear, but then she disappears too.

Finally, Finnick turns to look at Edana, finding her crying and pulling in and pushing out air so fast that her face has gone red, and when he's close, she clenches handfuls of his shirt until no more will fit inside her tiny fists. He takes her hands in his, holding them as tightly as he can before he enfolds her in his arms and crushes her against him so he knows she's not hurting from seeing the very man who's dictating how the rest of her life will play out — like some new, twisted game where the only spectator is her father and perhaps a man she clearly already hates.

"It's all right," Finnick whispers to her, squeezing her and kissing her head. "He's gone. He's not going to hurt you. I swear."

She cries still and shakes her head against his chest, trembling just as much and maybe more than Finnick was just a moment earlier.

As he stands there comforting Edana, Finnick realizes something new.

President Snow knows he hasn't done anything with Edana. Somehow, even without his presence in this house, he knows. That means he'll start keeping more tabs on Finnick as the days pass, and it will become more difficult for them to pretend something is happening that hasn't and might not really ever happen.

The ease and comfort they've had the last several days dissipates for the next two days. Edana is again afraid to even be alone with Finnick, because she's afraid her father will see and report back to Snow. She has no expectation of consideration or privacy, but when Finnick eats with her and sits with her when she reads or paints, she doesn't deny his company. She has a nightmare the night before they're supposed to spend another day getting ready for the Victory Party at the President's Mansion, waking Finnick as he lays just a few feet away and clinging to him when he crawls into her bed with her to make sure she's okay.

"He was watching me," she cries against his chest. "He was watching me die. I was in the City Circle, and they were going to execute me. My mother's body was next to me, all bloody and beaten! And Jarvis was . . ."

She stops, sobbing, and Finnick shushes her gently.

"It's all right," he whispers. "You're all right. I've got you, Dani. I won't let him hurt you. I swear. He can't hurt your mother anymore, and I'm sure Jarvis is safe. I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you."

Still crying, Edana presses her ear to his heart, and though Finnick can only feel the subtle beat, he holds her tighter and strokes her hair, whispering to her and kissing her until she falls back to sleep. After a little while, he sleeps too.

As he's been doing since coming here, while he sleeps, Finnick dreams. This time, instead of standing in the ocean or even rowing a boat, Finnick is treading water with his head barely above the surface. The sun overhead makes it impossible for him to see anything in either direction, but he can feel several things skimming up next to his legs as he struggles to stay above the surface. Then in the distance, a mirage appears. It's an island with green trees and a slight figure laying on the sandy beach. He starts to swim toward it, but it remains the same distance from him no matter how hard he swims to reach it. Suddenly, an unseen force pushes on his shoulders and shoves him down into the water, cutting off his oxygen and preventing him from getting back to the surface. Normally, in the water, Finnick is as free as a dolphin or a sea turtle, but for some reason, right now, he just feels weak and human and heavy. He fights against the force for several minutes before a dark shape begins to make its way up from the depths. It could be anything, but as it gets closer, Finnick sees a thatch of blond hair and a hint of a blue shirt. He's about to reach for it when another hand grabs his shoulder, but this one pulls him out of the water.

Finnick opens his eyes to see Edana awake in front of him, her eyes red and her face still flushed.

"You were dreaming," she says. "It was bad. I could tell by your breathing. It's happening to you too."

"I'm fine, Edana," he says as firmly as he can. "And you're going to be fine too. No matter what happens, keep telling yourself that. If you're not afraid, then no one can hurt you. Not even me. Tell yourself you're going to be fine. Do it."

She stares confused for a minute until he sits her up, cups her face in his hands and repeats it.

"You're going to be fine," he tells her.

Then she repeats what he's said.

"I'm going to be fine," she says softly.

"Say it again," he commands as gently as he can.

Wrapping her hands around his arms, she speaks louder and clearer. "I'm going to be fine," she says a little more confidently.

Then Finnick leans closer and quiets his voice. "You have to tell yourself that this isn't going to make you who they want. If there's anything I'm going to teach you, that's the first. This is yours. Not theirs. You decide what to do with it. They don't. You did it before when you made your father think you were watching the Games when you really weren't. You're stronger than he is, Dani. Even if there are things you have to endure to protect the people you love, those are the people you love. Not anyone else. You care about Mila, don't you?"

She nods, tightening her hold on his arms.

"And you care about Jarvis?"

New tears slip down her cheeks, and she nods again.

"And you," he says. "Dani, you have to protect yourself. You have to tell yourself there's a part of you they can't touch, a part they won't ever know about. You have to keep that part safe, and you don't ever let them see it. Ever. Do you understand me?"

Despite his gentle way with her the last several days, the authority in his voice sounds even more foreign than when he yelled at Delmore, but it has the desired effect on Edana as she agrees easily.

"I understand," she says. "But you forgot someone else whom I love."

Confused, Finnick shakes his head. "Who?"

Releasing his arm and then touching his face, she moves in slowly until her forehead is against his. "You," she whispers. Then she leans in closer and kisses him for the first time in a week.

Because he's not expecting this, Finnick's first reaction is to push her away. This was _not_ his intention, and for several seconds, he's afraid he won't be able to do anything to change it. Then the disappointment in her eyes causes this pain in his chest he's never felt in his life. She was expecting him to say it back. But he can't. Surely, she has to know that.

"Dani," he says, pleading. "You can't — "

She pushes him away more definitively than he did and scrambles off the bed to get away from him, but he's faster this time than he ever thought he could be, stopping her before she gets to the door and making her face him.

"Don't run away," he yells. "Don't ever run away from something that doesn't go the way you want. If you do that, you'll be running your whole life. And . . . of course, I care about you. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't expecting you at all, but I can't . . . And you shouldn't . . . Dear God, what have I done?" he pleads, pulling her into his arms to hold her against him as she begins to cry again.

Her tiny hands clench fistfuls of his shirt again, and he tucks her head under his chin, kissing her in her hair gently.

"It's okay," he whispers. "It's all going to be okay. And I . . ." he pauses, knowing she needs to hear it but so scared of what it will do when she realizes that it won't matter. He says it anyway. " . . . I love you too, Dani. As a friend. Like Mila."

As if she's heard her name, Mila appears on the other side of the glass panel, staring at them with wide brown eyes and a terrified expression. It looks like she's feared the worst, but Finnick immediately puts her mind at ease.

"She just had a bad dream," he says, watching relief wash over Mila's face and wishing he felt the same way. But he knows it's only going to get worse from now on.

Mila gestures for them to follow her, and Finnick holds Edana at his side, stepping out of the room and moving down the hallway to the kitchen where breakfast is already waiting. When he sits Edana up at the bar, Mila wets a small cloth and gently dabs it over her red cheeks. Edana wraps her hand around Mila's, almost crying again but then pushing her away so she'll know to leave her be. This is all that's done before Finnick starts eating, and after a minute or two, Edana starts eating too.

Poached eggs, thick cut bacon, rich cinnamon bread, hot chocolate and sausage links make up just one part of the meal that Mila has prepared, and Finnick and Edana barely have enough time to eat less than half of it before a car from the President picks them up to take them to the Remake Center.

This time is just like last time. Finnick even gets the same stylist and prep team, but this time, they dress him in an emerald suit and put gold highlights in his hair. Jacinda has apparently been given instructions to make Finnick look as comfortable as possible, so there's no tie, and the three top buttons of his shirt of left undone. At first, Finnick doesn't mind this at all, but then he knows it's probably so he can attract attention for President Snow.

While he's in the final stages of prep, Finnick finds himself thinking back to the last games. Who was it that won again?

It was about a week into his own Games that the other tributes realized he was the one they needed to kill, but by then, it was too late. Finnick doesn't have many regrets in his life. He doesn't regret winning the games, and he doesn't regret mentoring children who are forced into the arena the way he was to fight to the death the way he did. There wasn't much innocence left in him when he was sent on his first date with a Capitol woman who was twice his age at sixteen, but when it started showing on his face and creeping into his home life, Finnick realized just how much he'd sacrificed by winning.

Winning.

That word makes him laugh.

What exactly does he have to show for winning? His house in the Victor's Village is vacant of nearly everything important to him because at any minute, something could happen to make the Peacemaker's kill his family. Annie. Mags.

His mind drifts over his Games until he's thinking of Saffron's, and he wonders how any thirteen-year-old girl could ever win such a violent game. Was there something about her so special that she overpowered what had to have been at least have half a dozen Careers on her tail?

There is only one thing that makes sense right now. This thirteen-year-old girl knew how to fight. She wasn't some shrinking violet who acted weak to make her opponents think she wasn't anyone to worry about. And she didn't make them think she would die by either natural causes or simple walk off the edge of a cliff because of ignorance. No. She was smart, and she was strong. She survived because someone had taught her to fight.

Instantly, even though he has to go to the Victory Tour Party and basically be the piece of meat President Snow expects him to be, Finnick wants to know more about Edana's mother. Did she have brothers or sisters? A father who taught her to look after herself? Why didn't she teach those things to her own daughter?

Getting ready for this Victory Tour Party takes only half the time as a dinner for five, which stuns Finnick since it seems like it would be more important, but Jacinda only does a few things to him after he's in his suit, which includes but is not limited to making sure he doesn't have bags under his eyes from not sleeping and dusting some strange powder on him that makes his skin shimmer under special light.

When he's escorted out of the building to the car that will again carry him to the President's Mansion, Finnick expects Snow to be waiting for him. But this turns out to not be the case. Instead, when Finnick slides into the car that will take him to his destination, he discovers a middle-aged woman there in a bright purple silk dress with her purple hair done up in a strange twist that pulls on her forehead and makes her look a little too shocked to see him. Even her eyes are purple.

Then she looks at him, and he knows why she's there.

The entire ride, which seems to go by much more slowly than it did just a week earlier, is spent with her running her hands all over him and trying to smear her purple lipstick over his neck and a little too far down his chest. But it doesn't work the way she wants even though she manages to unbutton his shirt a few more buttons. Somehow, the powder Jacinda dusted all over him counteracts this poor woman's rather robust efforts. And that's before she shoves her hand down his pants, but Finnick is so uncomfortable and disgusted that it has virtually no effect on him.

By the time the car arrives at the President's Mansion, Finnick feels like he's been man-handled. He's a little sick to his stomach and still has to be a perfect gentleman to the woman who thinks she's his date for the night. But Finnick know it's all in her head. Tonight, he's no one's date.

She has the most dissatisfied expression on her face even though she allows him to escort her up the stairs where a series of Avoxes stand out in the freezing cold in nothing more than their standard uniform. Finnick is sure he sees Mila among them, but he can't acknowledge her here. Her eyes start to meet his, but then she looks down. A man behind her takes the woman's purple mink coat, and with just a few more steps, they're inside.

This time, everything is laden in various shades of green, the most prominent one being a deep forest green sash that's been hung from the staircase and spreads across the great room that fills the front of the mansion. Suddenly, Finnick remembers who won the last Games — or rather, he remembers where she's from.

It's not because he remembers that she stuck out in his mind. Actually, she didn't really stick out until the last few days she was in the arena. That was when she started killing the tributes left with a few small axes that were left near the Cornucopia.

He remembers that she's from District Seven, which is mostly known for providing all the lumber for all of Panem.

The woman on Finnick's arm grips him tightly, obviously still wanting to claim him, but just as they're about to descend to the great hall of the mansion, President Snow appears out of nowhere.

"Mr. Odair. Iradessa, my dear, you look lovely."

He leans forward, ignoring Finnick and kissing the woman's cheek.

"If you'll allow me, Iradessa, I need to borrow this young man."

He doesn't wait for her answer, stretching his arm across Finnick's back and then clamping his hand over Finnick's shoulder. No arguments, no protestations. Finnick knows not to say anything as he's led up the other side of the stairs where other guests are mingling with their glasses and little plates of food. Whether this is their second or third trip to the buffet table is unknown to Finnick, especially since he's seen firsthand how often the people here waste their food.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Iradessa," Snow says in a hushed, cold tone, "but I've someone else you're required to give your time for the night. A car will take you to them, and you'll remain there until they're finished with you."

Stopping halfway up the stairs, Finnick's heart stutters a little and then speeds up until he's having trouble breathing and has to grip the banister beside him.

"Is there a problem?"

For the first time in six years, Finnick doesn't feel even the slightest scared when he speaks. "I thought I was supposed to stay with . . . Ms. Clementia while I was here this time."

"You'll do what I tell you to do, Mr. Odair, and you'll not question the way I use you as I see fit. Is that clear enough for you?"

"No," Finnick says, and Snow steps up to be above him, meaning to look intimidating but really coming off as a bully.

"No, it's not clear, or no — "

"I'm not doing it," Finnick tells him.

Snow looks a little surprised, probably more than Finnick was expecting, especially because it's the first time Finnick has ever refused any of his requests or demands.

"I beg your pardon?" Snow say, the hushed, cold tone replaced by one much more calculated and confused.

"I'm not doing it," Finnick says more slowly, making sure each word is steady and clear. "She needs me. I'm not leaving her alone in that house with the man who's forcing her to marry another man twice her age who won't know how to treat her or provide for her."

When Finnick tries to walk away, Snow easily grabs his arm and holds him still, lowering his voice so only Finnick will hear.

"I know you've been stalling with Ms. Clementia because you're starting to feel sorry for her," he says, his threatening tone quickly replacing the confusion. "And I know you've disrespected her father by defending her. If you don't do what I ask, there will be consequences. I don't think hurting your family would do much good in this particular instance, do you?"

The meaning in Snow's words sends a distinctive cold chill down Finnick's spine before he releases Finnick's arm and then walks away.

For the first time since arriving, Finnick looks out over the great hall searching for Edana. There are only a few golden heads to spot in the crowd of greens, blues, pinks and reds, and only one them is intricately braided as she stands next to another girl with shiny brown hair. Finnick's feet are moving before he realizes that he's hurrying down the stairs.

It takes a few minutes to weave his way through the crowd, but Finnick keeps his eyes on Edana the whole way, noticing that her dress is again blue, green and white but not sequins or covering her shoulders. In fact, it doesn't have sleeves at all.

"Dani!"

She turns when she hears his voice, smiling with glass of green liquid in her hands. The girl with her looks familiar as she wears a shiny green dress that barely covers her chest while flowing well passed her feet. Her shiny brown hair is pinned up about her head in a peculiar way that looks almost like the branches of a tree, and her brown eyes are darker than Edana's but show just as much fire inside them.

"Finnick," Edana says as soon as he's close.

He takes her hand to make sure she's next to him, and she gestures to the girl in front of her.

"Have you met Johanna?" she asks. "This year's Victor. We were just talking about her dress. Isn't it . . . interesting?"

Finnick looks at the dress again, noticing the color and then realizing that he's wearing a color almost identical. It wouldn't be above Snow to send such a blatant message, but before Finnick can say anything, the girl, Johanna speaks.

"Oh, no, we were talking about your dress and how I just wanted to rip it off when I saw you," she says, her tone especially serious.

Edana just laughs.

Then Johanna looks at him. "So you're the famous Finnick Odair," she says, smirking and winking at him.

Finnick tries to play off her flirting. "That's me," he says nonchalantly. "And let me just say that you were impressive the last few days of your Games. I don't think anyone saw that coming."

Johanna shrugs, still smirking. "I like surprising people," she says. "And hey, you do what you gotta do."

Finnick nods. "I couldn't agree more."

A man who must be Johanna's escort because he has green hair the same shade as her dress shuffles her away to greet other people who apparently want a piece of her, leaving Finnick alone with Edana momentarily.

"Are you all right?" she asks as soon as it's just them. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

He can't answer her right away, catching a glimpse of the woman from the car as she glares in his direction, and he's pretty sure she's glaring at Edana.

"You look amazing again," he says to cover himself.

She steps back a little, showing him the whole of her dress. Striped blue, green and while, it looks similar to Johanna's dress because it barely comes up over her chest while being nearly suctioned to her torso with no straps or back to speak of.

Her hair, while intricately braided in a seeming mess atop her head, is sprinkled with blue and green flowers. No jewelry adorns her body, and her make-up is the same as a week ago, except with a smile on her face, she looks a hundred times better.

"I suppose I do," she says of his compliment, "but that doesn't explain the look on your face. You're pale, and you're shaking."

Out of the corner of his eye, Finnick spots Snow watching him, and he suddenly feels like he's under a magnifying glass with a heated lamp. He reaches for Edana's glass and gives it to a passing Avox before taking her bare arm in his hand and whispering to her.

"Let's go somewhere a little more quiet," he says, and she looks at him with wide eyes.

Finnick nods that it's okay, and Edana relaxes, allowing him to guide her away from the crowd.

Because it's only been a week or so since he was here, Finnick remembers his way much better than he would otherwise, walking Edana toward the greenhouse that's still being guarded by Peacekeepers. None of them look at him or Edana as they step inside, and he takes her toward where they were last week. He can hardly believe that much time has gone by. He feels like he's only been here a few days.

"I thought you didn't like any of the other Victors," he says to Edana as they walk, teasing her a little.

"Well, I don't," she says. "But Johanna's about my age, and I like her. She's not like anyone else here. Well, except for you, maybe."

Finnick laughs and directs her to a marble bench to sit in front of the fogged up windows. "Well, thanks, I think. She seems abrasive, that's for certain. Especially when she talked about ripping off your dress. I don't think anyone would expect that from another Victor."

Edana shrugs. "I'd happily trade it for something more comfortable. And they seem to have gotten your suit right this time. Although . . ." She reaches out to button a few of the buttons without asking why his shirt is undone so much.

A newer, deeper chill slips up Finnick's spine, and he shakes again before Edana touches his face. "He said something to you," she says. "I can tell. And I saw him watching you. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he says, shaking his head. "It's fine."

She leans back, appraising him instantly. "Well, you came running to find me quickly enough." Then she knows. It's written all over her face. She doesn't say anything else, sitting a little farther from him and then folding her arms over her chest.

Finnick sighs, slowly reaching out to touch her, to tell her it really is all right, and when he means to touch her shoulder, she moves away again, causing his hand to fall over her lower back. She stiffens the way she did before with Edsel Thane, and for a reason it shouldn't, this makes Finnick angry again.

"Would you rather I let him shuffle me all around the Capitol all night, because that's what he's wanting," he tells her in a harsh tone. "He knows he can't hurt me. He know he can't kill my family right now because then I'll stop doing this. But you — You're all the leverage he needs to make me do anything right now. And I can't give him that kind of power over you. So I told him no. Because I want to stay with you."

"To do what?" she asks, her voice surprisingly filled with disgust. "To protect me or use me?"

"I'm the one being used," he shouts. "I'm the one who doesn't have a choice! And I'm choosing you. I told you I wouldn't let him hurt you, and I meant it."

A shaky breath passes her lips, and a thick tear slips down her cheek, but she doesn't turn to look at him. Finnick sighs again and scoots closer to her.

"Whatever he tells me to do, I have to do it. But he knows now that I won't let anything happen to you, and having him threaten you means he'll be watching me even closer than before. I just had to get to you before someone else did."

"Like a Peacekeeper?" she asks, her voice thick with tears.

"No, like Thane. I'm not leaving you alone so he can get his hands on you. I don't care what Snow does to me." When she still won't look at him, Finnick lifts his hand to her face and then turns her around to take her hands in his. "I'm sorry I yelled. And I'm sorry this is happening. I'm trying to protect you, even if it means I have to protect you from me. But we have to be careful, Dani. Now that he knows I care about you, it won't be easy to fool him. No one does that to Snow and gets away with it."

A few more tears fall before she regains control of her voice, speaking softly. "I didn't mean to make it sound like you're not . . . I mean, I know this isn't easy for you either. Just don't lie to me when he threatens you or me. I want to know. Okay?"

Finnick gently wipes the tears from her cheeks and scoots even closer, enfolding her in his arms and tucking her head under his chin with the sole intention of sitting there until it's time to leave. But then someone finds them.

"Well, there you two are," Johanna says, sauntering closer with one hand over her hip and a tall flute of red liquid in her other. "The only two people who look even slightly normal."

He looks in her direction, and her expression changes. No longer is she cocky or even confident. Suddenly, she looks conflicted and uncertain. Something about her quick change in demeanor tells Finnick that she is the person Snow was talking about, but maybe she doesn't want to do it anymore.

"Oh," she says. "I didn't know you two were — Never mind."

She turns to leave, but then a Peacekeeper appears, blocking her path.

"Let me through, you overgrown tool," she demands.

He doesn't move or even acknowledge her.

So Finnick does. "You might as well sit down," he says, and she turns to look at him. "They don't usually listen to us heathens."

"Says you sitting there with a Capitol girl in your arms," she accuses.

"And the daughter of a Victor who died at the hands of her Capitol husband," he shoots back. "One whose fate won't be much kinder than ours. Will you want this to happen to your children one day?"

Johanna moves closer but doesn't sit. "I don't plan on having children," she informs him. "And since we're on the subject, what's a Victor doing in the Capitol married to one of its citizens and having a daughter?"

"Why are you in here looking for us?" he asks instead. "Or looking for me? Like Snow told you."

"I don't do anything anyone _tells_ me to do," Johanna says through clenched teeth. "No one tells me what to do. I'm not a slave."

While still holding Edana, Finnick looks out the windows beside them. "I didn't think I was either. Being a Victor is supposed to be an honor. Especially because I was supposed to be one of the more celebrated ones. But there's nothing honorable in being asked to do what I do. Or rather, being told and having no choice in the matter. But I didn't realize until now that I could use it to my advantage," he says, leaning back to look at Edana and cupping her face in his hands. After a minute of looking into her eyes, he looks at Johanna. "So don't do what I did. Use it to make yourself tougher and more difficult to crack. But just know there will be consequences."

Finally, Johanna drops her shoulders and slowly crosses the few feet still separating them to sit on Edana's other side. "I'm not going to be a puppet," she says. "And my father told me not to take any of their crap. Imagine my surprise when they stuff me into this dress and tell me to make like I'm the worlds' greatest slut."

Edana's back straightens at that word, and when she leans back from Finnick to look at Johanna, he doesn't stop her, nor does he release her, allowing his hands to fall down her back a little more to hold her waist.

"Imagine being told your husband will be twice your age and exactly like the man who killed your mother," she says just as harshly. "At least you do still have the ability to say no, even if the result won't be any better for you. Which would you rather salvage, your soul or your life?"

"I'd like to hang on to a little something I like to call self-respect," Johanna says without skipping a beat. "And my parents and my brothers wouldn't have it any other way, no matter what happens to them. Snow and all these other psychos can kiss my ass."

Finnick laughs just once but doesn't say anything. He was like that once, and he learned very quickly that it wasn't that simple.

Then Johanna does something neither he nor Edana expects, lifting her hand to Edana's shoulder and squeezing gently. "I'm sorry about what I said, and I still want to rip your dress off. It looks really good on you."

Edana laughs then and pulls in a deep breath, composing herself and lifting her hand to Johanna's. "If I could lend it to you, it would be yours."

Johanna laughs too, grasping onto Edana's hand, and suddenly, the mood is much lighter than it was just seconds earlier.

From that moment until the Peacekeeper watching them is joined by a few of his friends, they all sit there for the rest of the party, talking about Johanna's home in District Seven and Edana's mother Saffron whom Johanna knows nothing about even though she recognizes the name because her mother has mentioned it.

It's late when Johanna's escort comes for her, and the Peacekeepers lead them all out of the greenhouse to the great hall where there are still quite a few people mingling.

"It was nice to meet you, Edana," Johanna says before they part. Then she looks at Finnick. "You too, Odair. Guess I'll be seeing you around."

Finnick nods, and Edana squeezes Johanna's hand.

"It was nice to meet you too," she says to her new friend.

They both stand there and watch Johanna leave, and Finnick is about to guide Edana to the door to do the same when a new set of Peacekeepers stops them.

"President Snow would like to have a word with you, Mr. Odair," the taller one says without looking Finnick in the eye. "The girl's father will take her home."

Edana now grasps onto Finnick's arm, unwilling to let him go, but Finnick knows she'll be safe if he does what the Peacekeepers say, so he takes her hands in his and turns her to face him.

"It's okay, Dani," he whispers, kissing her forehead and then nudging her on. "I promise. Just go on."

Hesitating for a few seconds, she looks at the Peacekeepers and then at Finnick before rising to her toes and cupping his face in her hands, kissing him full on the lips and then pressing her forehead to his. She doesn't say anything else, allowing a third Peacekeeper to take her away from where they've been stopped. Finnick watches for as long as he can until the two men left nod for him to go ahead of them toward the west wing of the mansion.

The walk is long and quiet. Finnick can't help but wonder if Snow will follow through on his threat, but considering Edana hasn't married Thane yet, that possibility seems low. No. Snow won't do anything to Edana while she's still living with Delmore. He won't hurt her until there's a good enough reason, and right now, Finnick disobeying a direct order isn't good enough. This means that Snow will more than likely do something to make Finnick more inclined to do what he's asked. More inclined to take Edana's innocence away from her.

* * *

_**Uh-oh, this does not look good. Maybe Snow will just talk. Maybe it won't be that bad. Hmm. Can't say just yet.**_

_**And what did we think of Johanna? I had a little trouble with her, but hopefully it came out all right. Sometimes when I read her, I think she's like the way we see her because of who we're seeing her through. Not to say anything bad about Katniss, but I always hoped some of the characters weren't as bad as she thought they were in the beginning. I mean, look at Finnick and Haymitch.**_

_**Anyway, next chapter still has to be edited, so I'm not sure how far off it is. Thanks to everyone who's reading and everyone following. I love you all for doing just that.**_

_**Later!**_


	6. Within an Inch & Without Regret

_**Still going along with this story right where we left off, and Finnick is not is a safe situation right now. I did my absolute best with this, but it was not easy. Let's see how I did.**_

_**Also really curious to know what everybody reading thinks of this latest development. Oh, well, a girl can dream.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games. It all belongs to Suzanne Collins, and she is my goddess. However, the original characters and the story are all mine.**_

_**I also edit my own stories, but I'm human, so I miss things. See something wrong? Let me know. I'll do my best to fix it.**_

_**Read on!**_

* * *

_**Within an Inch & Without Regret**_

When they finally reach their destination, the Peacekeepers open a pair of black shiny doors that reveal a deep, stark chamber with a desk in the center and two large chairs situated in front of it. The walls are bare and high, causing their footsteps to echo off the surface, and the floor is a high-polished marble similar to that of the great hall but black and streaked with red ingrains. The desk is made of a red-tinted wood and vacant of anything with a high-back white leather chair behind it. But these things are only highlighted by a wooden post sprouting from the marble floor between the chairs. And suddenly, Finnick knows what this room is for.

The heavy doors slam shut, and Finnick turns to see President Snow and Edsel Thane there with the Peacekeepers.

"Mr. Odair," Snow says, his face as blank as the walls.

This is the only thing that's said before he and Thane move around to the desk and the Peacekeepers step up behind Finnick.

"When you were told to come here," Snow says after a minute or two, "you were given specific instructions. And I know you haven't completed those instructions. Why?"

For an instant, Finnick thinks he's just taunting, but then he raises his thick, white eyebrows, waiting for an answer. So Finnick gives him one, even if it's a lie. "She's not ready."

Snow shakes his head minimally. "Why?" he asks again.

Finnick's eyes flicker to Thane, whose mouth is twisted in annoyance. "She's scared," he says, not exactly a lie, but still not the truth.

A few inches at a time, Snow steps closer to Finnick until only a few inches separate them. "Why?" he asks a third time.

Finnick glances at the Peacekeepers, knowing it won't matter what he says. So he looks at Snow and straightens his shoulders, tipping his chin a little. "I won't do that to her just because someone tells me to," he says defiantly. "And her father has spent the last eight years treating her like she's no good for anything. I won't help in preparing her for a life with a man exactly like him. She deserves more than that. She's a citizen of the Capitol. How can anyone want to treat her so poorly?"

With just a look, Snow tells the Peacekeepers what to do, and within seconds, Finnick's jacket and shirt are stripped away and he's tied up to the wooden post with his arms above his head, his feet barely touching the floor. Finnick knows not to fight.

"Mr. Odair," Snow says, "I will decide what anyone of my citizens deserves. And Ms. Clementia is not a citizen of the Capitol. She's the daughter of a Victor from District Eight. Those children have just as much chance to be chosen for our Games as any of the others, and the only reason she hasn't been is because of her father. Mr. Clementia knew her worth would be more than to be put into an arena with other children. Of course, it changed when he met Mr. Thane here. Her worth changed. And you will not remedy that by being her protector."

There's no warning for the first lashing. White-hot pain rips through Finnick's skin from his shoulder to his rib cage, and he makes noise without intention. Finnick doesn't dare look over his shoulder to see who's done this. Only one person would have the ability. There's only one person left since both the Peacekeepers are standing where Finnick can see them and Snow would never resort to violence — at least not by his own hand.

That only leaves one other in the room.

"I've been told that your father just purchased a new boat for his fishing," Snow says. "And your mother sometimes delivers clams and oysters to the market in the square. Your younger brothers always volunteer to help with the catch at the docks. It really would be a shame if something happened to them, wouldn't it?"

The second lash tears at the space just under Finnick's arm and spreads to his spine, causing more heat to fill his skin. The third dissects the other two and opens up a cross of blood between his shoulder blades. The fourth whips up over his shoulder against his neck.

"And your Mentor," Snow continues, "from when you won your Games. I understand that she coordinated one of the most expensive gifts of the Games when she purchased your trident. How old is she again?"

Seventy-seven. Mags wouldn't survive the Peacekeepers coming after her. Finnick knows this without being threatened. An image of her from the last time he saw her flashes before his eyes just as another lashing causes white light to blast across his vision before two more follow.

"But all that would pale in comparison to what I could do to Ms. Clementia," Snow says. "Or rather, I should say, what I couldn't do. Because I could have refused to give Mr. Thane the promise of making sure she would be ready when they are married. I could have arranged for all of that to happen and never have called you. I'm seriously beginning to regret that decision, Mr. Odair. And I still might rescind on my promise to him."

Three more lashes slice through Finnick's skin in quick succession before Snow moves closer and then whispers to Finnick.

"Do you know what Mr. Thane wanted to do to Ms. Clementia when he first met her?" he asks. "I'm certain he would have molded her to his exact specifications then without being married to her, and do you know how old she was?" He pauses for a beat or two before speaking again. "She was only fourteen, Mr. Odair."

It's with this one revelation that a single tear slips down Finnick's cheek. He knows that Snow has seen. With another look, Snow tells the Peacekeepers to go, and they leave with the doors standing open. Thane leaves, wrapping his bloody whip up in a loop at his belt and glaring back at Finnick — probably because he can't do anymore damage.

"You care for Ms. Clementia," Snow says.

When he doesn't say anything else, Finnick responds by nodding.

"And you know what will happen to her if you don't do what I've asked."

Again, Finnick nods.

His shoulders are already aching after just ten lashes. His back is on fire, along with every inch of his chest as the very ends of Thane's whip were tips with razor-sharp barbs that pulled on his skin. Blood is streaming down his back and the side of his body.

"I ask for so little, Mr. Odair," Snow tells him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

With as little a sob as possible, Finnick nods a third time.

"So what are we going to do about this?" Snow asks. "If you truly wish to protect Ms. Clementia, don't you think you should want to do what _I _say, and not allow what Mr. Thane wants?"

Finnick understands without Snow having to use so many words. No more stalling. No more hiding. No more trying to do right by a girl he barely knows. That's the problem though. Finnick does know Edana. He understands why she's so scared, and all he wants is to keep her safe from all the people who only want to hurt her. But it doesn't seem like Snow cares about this or even acknowledges it. Finnick knows he has only one choice.

So even after enough time has gone by for Finnick to lose a little of what hold he has on his consciousness, he nods again, agreeing with Snow.

"Good. Then I trust we won't have the need for another meeting like this. And to be sure you've enough time to heal, I'll give you three more days before I expect things to improve."

The Peacekeepers return then without Thane, and while one of them unties Finnick's hand, the other holds him up to drape a loose shirt over his shoulders. They seem to know what to do without being told, half-guiding, half-carrying Finnick out of the room and then the mansion to a waiting car. Instead of sitting up, Finnick has to lie down across the seat while the Peacekeepers sit across from him, silent and unaffected.

The ride is short, and every time the car jerks one way or another as it pulls through the streets, a newer, sharper pain ignites up Finnick's back. When the car stops and the door opens, the Peacekeepers get out first and then turn to collect Finnick. This is when he looks up to see the Medical Center standing tall and sparkling in the night light of the city. Slowly, the men walk him inside and deposit him near the entrance before bringing a young woman to him.

She nods without saying anything, her glimmering skin and hair in complete contrast to her stark white uniform. She leads them to a private room before they leave, and when they're gone, Finnick thinks the only thing he can, considering where he is.

"Jarvis," he whispers, remembering everything Edana has said to him in the last week and a half. "I want to see Jarvis. Please."

The woman doesn't respond, touching his face as he lays on his chest and then injecting him with something that instantly puts him to sleep.

Whatever is given to him prevents him from dreaming, because it's all black and silent until the sensation of slivers of his skin sealing sends chills up his back. Then he smells the oddest chemical that must be what's being used to heal him.

"That looks like it's working," he hears from behind him, realizing that he's still laying on his chest and his arms are folded under his head. "Bring another sealer kit and get the pain injection ready."

Soft foot steps retreat, and Finnick opens his eyes to see a shiny, silver room around him with carts of medical supplies and cabinets with glass doors.

"You're awake."

He averts his eyes as his healer moves closer, and a man with shaggy, plain brown hair beside him lifts his brown eyebrows as they rest above blue-gold eyes. But the expression on the man's face is so calm and content. Finnick has no choice but to trust him.

"Jarvis?"

The man nods and steps closer. "And you are?"

"Finnick."

This man who knows Edana and sutured her cut to give her a scar and gave her whatever it took to make her sick so she didn't have to watch the Games laughs a little. "Oh, so you're the famous Finnick Odair. Mind telling me how this happened to you?"

Finnick scoffs. "Got betrayed by my mouth."

"By doing what?"

Hesitating, Finnick thinks of Edana and wonders how long he's been at the Medical Center. "Defending someone who doesn't have anyone to defend her."

Jarvis nods and continues in his work. "One of my assistants said that you asked for me specifically. How did you even know I'm here?"

Finnick lifts his eyes to Jarvis. "I think you already know how. And I don't think you've told her everything there is to know about you. Except that you're a Victor from District Five and that you've known her all her life."

The bemused look on Jarvis' face tells Finnick all he needs to know, and while nothing is said for a few more minutes, Finnick's mind is being made up the longer he lays there. He has to find out what happened in those Games with Saffron and Jarvis.

Though there are only supposed to be ten lashes covering Finnick's back, because of Thane's barbed whip, there's more damage than Finnick realized when it was finished. But he can barely feel what's being done to heal his skin. Jarvis seems to know this after a little more time passes, and when the soft foot steps return, he speaks to Finnick again.

"It's been a long time since I saw someone come into the Medical Center with this much damage done to them," he says. "Who did this?"

"A Peacekeeper," Finnick lies.

"I didn't know they were carrying around barbed whips. And whoever did this must have been very upset with you. Are you sure it was just a Peacekeeper?"

Finnick nods, not wanting to say anything else.

A new strip of whatever chemical being used is laid over Finnick's back, slowly, very slowly sealing another wound on his skin.

"How do you know her?"

This question makes Finnick a little sick to his stomach despite not really being able to feel what's being done to him. He has to look away and press his forehead to his arms to keep from looking Jarvis in the eyes.

"Because she must trust you very much to tell you about me," Jarvis continues. "Especially considering only a few people know me by my first name anymore."

When Finnick still doesn't say, the procedure stops and the footsteps leave the room again before Jarvis leans over closer to his head.

"You don't have to be afraid, Finnick," he says. "These walls are protected. Whatever you say to me in here will stay between us. And I have known Edana her entire life. She's very important to me, and if . . . her father has done something to warrant your presence, then I want to know about it."

The way he mentions Delmore makes Finnick look up, instantly looking into Jarvis' eyes and feeling tears in his own for the second time.

"How old are you, Finnick?" he asks.

"Twenty."

"And yet you already have the eyes of a man twice your age."

Finnick doesn't mean to break down, but in an instant, he can't stop, angry, ashamed and so scared that he'll fail and something worse will happen to Edana than just having her innocence stripped away from her.

"Being a Victor isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it?" Jarvis says. Finnick shakes his head, still sobbing softly. "I suppose that's the crux of it all. They make lofty promises and even loftier threats, especially when you don't do what they want. There are only a few of us who truly know evil and have no power to fight it. But I have only one person I care about left. No one truly knows who she is, but she's important to me all the same. Now tell me what President Snow wants with her."

Though his tone is nonthreatening, Finnick knows this is a demand and not just a request. And he knows he can't lie.

"His name is Edsel Thane," he says quietly. "He's from District Two, and he's the one who did this to me. He's getting married in three weeks."

Jarvis doesn't say anything right away, looking off passed Finnick's face and pressing his lips into a thin line that shows he understands what this means. His nostrils flare slightly, and he shakes his head, speaking softly.

"I knew he would do this one day."

There's a tense moment where Jarvis looks at Finnick and glares before he calms his face and takes a deep breath.

"I can only presume why you're here then," he says to Finnick. "And based on this, you're not doing as well as Snow has expected. I suppose I should be grateful for your consideration of Edana. If anyone deserves it, she does."

"He knows I won't let anything happen to her," Finnick says. "But if I don't, then Thane will. I don't know how I know, but I know he'll brutalize her. I can't let him do that."

Jarvis doesn't speak again for a few seconds, applying another strip to Finnick's back. "You already know you can't protect her forever," he says. "It's unfair and cruel, but sometimes, you just have to accept what is and do the best with what you've been given."

The way Jarvis says this sounds like he knows from experience, and Finnick is instantly wondering what Snow has done to make life difficult for this past Victor as well.

There's a familiarity about Jarvis that confuses Finnick at first, but slowly, he knows exactly what it is. This will be him in another ten or twenty years. And it's the very next thing that Finnick says out loud. "How old were you?" he asks.

Jarvis looks away, not answering as he does his job. But then he does. "Fifteen. And you? I thought you were only fourteen when you won."

"I was," Finnick says. "Didn't change anything after a couple of years."

Jarvis nods, acknowledging, maybe agreeing. "Do you have any family?"

"Four brothers. My mother and father. Mags. A few others. And they'll die if I stop. I can't be reckless that way. My youngest brother is only nine. So whatever I have to sacrifice right now, the cost of not doing it is too high."

A little 'hmm' is Jarvis' only response, and Finnick looks at him again.

"What about you?" he asks Jarvis.

"I _had_ two sisters. My mother worked in our apothecary. My father died in a plant explosion when I was twelve. Now it's just me. I was . . . reckless."

The word instantly catches Finnick's attention, and he doesn't have to ask why Jarvis is using past tense words. It confirms everything he's afraid of. It proves he doesn't have a choice in this.

"I knew I couldn't be the only one," Finnick says, "but why? You knew what would happen to them."

A thoughtful, regretful expression crosses Jarvis' face. "Well, it was just after I had turned nineteen. I was allowed to go home for a couple of weeks. My mother saw a few of the bruises and dragged it out of me. I remember telling her I was fine, but she refused to believe me. I guess after four years, it had started to show on my face. She wasn't too happy with what I'd agreed to for her sake, or my sisters. She made me swear I would tell Snow that I wasn't going to do it anymore. They were all dead a week later. I was more or less useless to him after that, so he left me alone. I started working here, and because I began to contribute, he agreed to let me be." Jarvis pauses, holding a new strip in his hands. "He knows I have an attachment to Edana, and her mother, but I'm also a Victor. So he can't hurt me. And until now, I knew she was safe. I guess after she's married, he'll know he's won."

Finnick wants to ask why Jarvis has never done anything to remove Edana from Delmore's home in the last eight years. This thirty-five-year-old man who still helps these people in the Capitol and probably has years of promise and hope left inside him sounds so defeated. It's so discouraging. Finnick wants to know what happened to cause this, but then he knows. This is what prompts his next question. "How did you know her mother Saffron?"

The name causes an immediate reaction, and the knowledge in Jarvis' eyes is enough for Finnick to understand. When Jarvis says 'attachment,' it's not just as a patient or even a friend. It's something much stronger and more dangerous for them both.

"You're almost finished," Jarvis says after a minute instead of answering Finnick. "I can probably make it like this never happened. I'm sure that's what Snow wants. What about you, Finnick? What do you want?"

It takes less than a second for Finnick to answer, because he's already made up his mind, already knows what he wants so he'll never forget this and never forget Edana after he leaves her because he knows he will soon. "A scar," he tells Jarvis.

By now, there's only one place for it to be, and when the soft footsteps come back, Finnick looks back to see the woman with shimmery hair and skin there with more supplies for his back. Before she sets any of it down, however, Jarvis stops her.

"Actually, Lucinda, if you could bring me a regular suture kit, I'll finish up here, and you can go home for the night."

She stares like she's confused, looking at Finnick and the remainder of damage to his skin, and then she looks at Jarvis. A few seconds pass, and she nods without saying anything, leaving quickly.

"Is she an Avox?" Finnick asks.

"Lucinda?" Finnick nods. "No," Jarvis says. "She just doesn't talk to patients. Although it looked like she wanted to say something to you just then. You must have made an impression on her. So, when I'm finished, they'll take you back to wherever it is you're staying. You'll need to keep the wound clean and change the dressing twice a day. I'll give you some antibiotics to keep it from getting infected. And I'll come to you when it's time for the stitches to come out. I'm guessing that you'll be with Edana."

Finnick nods just as Lucinda comes back with a bulkier kit, and still, she says nothing, turning and leaving before Jarvis takes the cover off the kit.

Everything in the suture kit is shiny and silver, and Jarvis works fast, stitching a sliver of skin the length of Finnick's hand as it curves under his left shoulder blade and covering it with a soft bandage. Finnick's head has cleared up from the medicine that put him to sleep, and Jarvis hands him a plain black shirt to pull on.

"The car's probably waiting for you," Jarvis says, stepping back as soon as Finnick is dressed and then helping him out of the shiny room. "And it's after midnight, so I hope you have some way of getting back into the house."

Finnick huffs as he walks, tired but mostly free of pain except for the dull ache just under his shoulder blade. "Actually, I don't," he says. "But don't worry. Mila will let me in. Thanks."

Jarvis reaches out, handing Finnick a small packet and then grasping onto his hand. "Thank you. For Edana. Not everyone would do what you're doing. It's more than I could ask for her."

Finnick nods as he looks outside to see the car, and Jarvis releases him without another word, remaining inside the Medical Center as Finnick leaves. He glances back just once to see Jarvis gone, sighing softly and then sliding into the back of the car that will carry him back to Delmore's house.

All Finnick can think is he was right about Delmore not acting like Edana's father. It's because he isn't.

The front of Edana's house is almost completely dark except for a tiny light coming through the little window in the front door. It's this that helps Finnick know that either she or Mila have waited for him to come back — or both of them. The driver of the car is nicer than Finnick expects, opening the door for him and walking with him up the steps to the front door, waiting until it opens and making sure Finnick gets inside all right. Then he leaves without saying anything.

Mila is behind the door, still in her uniform and still not looking at him as she allows him inside the dark house.

Finnick is about to ask about Edana when he looks off toward her end of the house and sees her there in her night gown. The first thing he notices, other than the fact that her hair is down and braided wet, is the red welt across her left cheek. She steps into the tiny light, revealing a little more of her slight figure as she stands there barefoot. He doesn't think, crossing the space between them and taking her in his arms to hold her against him, cradling her face in his hand and kissing her as gently and completely as he can.

She doesn't stop him, grasping onto his arms and then holding him as tight as she can as he tucks her head under his chin.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry," he whispers against her head.

"I'm all right," she says.

"No, you're not. He hit you, and by the looks of it, he used his belt. I should've been here. And now he'll think he can do it again when I'm gone."

Edana doesn't say anything, holding him with her ear pressed to his chest.

After a silent minute, Mila comes closer and takes his arm, pulling him and Edana toward the kitchen. She doesn't wait, moving to the cold storage to find food and then putting it in the accelerator to warm it up for them.

"I'm guessing based on this that you didn't eat when you got back from the party," Finnick says as he watches Edana nibble on the food in front of her.

She doesn't say anything right away, nibbling and avoiding eye contact even though she's facing him more than she is the bar in front of her.

"How long after you got back did he hit you?"

Still, she says nothing, and Finnick can only think the worst. He can only imagine that as soon as Delmore arrived home with Edana, he must have attacked her then. The mark on her cheek is so red and new, it hasn't even begun to bruise yet. Finnick reaches up to touch the mark gently, but Edana still flinches.

"Sorry," he whispers.

She lays her hand over his, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she looks at him. "What did they do to you?" she asks.

"Don't worry about me," he says, shaking his head. "I'm fine. It doesn't matter what they do to me, Dani. I can look after myself. And Snow won't leave any scars on me except the ones on the inside, and the ones I choose to keep. I told you I'll protect you, and I mean it. It's over now."

Slowly, she takes his hand from her face but doesn't let go, and tears well in her eyes quickly, slipping down her cheeks. "This isn't ever going to be over," she says. "Not until — "

"Don't worry about that," Finnick says, stopping her with his finger on her lips before she can finish saying it. "We have a few more days. Just eat right now, and we'll worry about that in the morning."

It takes her a minute or two to compose herself, and Finnick leans over, kissing her in her hair before he turns her to face her food so they can eat.

Mila stays at the edge of the room the entire time they eat, waiting until Finnick nods for her to move closer and collect the plates. Before she can move away, Finnick takes her arm gently and speaks more seriously than he has in his entire life.

"The next time he does this, I'm taking both of you out of this house," he says, watching Mila's green eyes widen slowly. "I don't know where I'll take you, but just remember that. I might not have much in the way of influence in this city, but I'm not letting this happen again. All right?"

Terrified or stunned, Mila nods, and Finnick lets go of her arm, reaching for Edana and then directing her out of the kitchen slowly.

Finnick wants to take a shower, but he doesn't dare leave Edana alone after the night they've just had. He lays her in her bed opposite her marked cheek and then lays down with her, getting as comfortable as he can with the dull ache still present in his back and wincing a little when she clasps her hands together around his body to be as close to him as she can.

She falls asleep much faster than Finnick expects, but he stays awake. He knows what he has to do, and he knows he has to do it. How can he without taking something away from Edana he has no right to?

The next morning, the reality of what happened the night before finally starts to sink in, and Finnick knows he'll need the next several days of recuperation to even face himself when this is all over. Every muscle in his back aches, along with his arms and legs from hanging by his wrists while he was whipped. His head hurts from the sleep medicine, and his stomach is churning as soon as he wakes alone in Edana's bed. It takes every ounce of energy he has to rise out of the bed and move across the hall to the guest room and take a shower, and he tries to put the water spray on the most gentle setting he can, wincing every time it hits his stitches.

Even after the shower, Finnick doesn't feel any better, especially now that he's agreed to do what Snow has told him despite his obvious reservations. Leaving the bathroom and stepping across the guest room to the window that overlooks the northeast horizon of the Capitol shining in the early morning light, Finnick can only stare at the city around him. It doesn't look like the dangerous place it is when he has to do things that are so obviously compromising to the way he naturally is. If he didn't have to come here for things like this, Finnick would actually think it was a beautiful place. But he knows what goes on in its underbelly. He knows how completely crazy most of these people are, knows how frivolous they can be when faced with getting something they've always wanted, having power over someone who's supposed to be stronger than they are.

Finnick is one of those very things, even though he has to fight to keep from thinking of himself as a thing to be had and thrown away. Now he knows it's not just him. He knew it couldn't have been him alone, especially because he's so young and there have been other Victors just as desirable, but now he knows he's not the only one who's suffered, not the only one who's had something taken from him, though he understands that it could be much worse.

"Oh. No."

Edana's voice startles Finnick out of his thoughts, and he turns to see her standing there with a tray of glasses filled with orange juice and plates filled with food for breakfast. Quickly and before he can stop her, she sets the tray on the bed and turns his back to her where his stitches are plain as day. At first, all she does is run her fingers over the soft thread holding his skin together like it's all she can see. But then her fingers move over the rest of his back like she sees all the others as well. Finnick knows that's not possible, but he still shakes with chills nonetheless.

"Finnick."

"It's all right, Dani," he says as steadily as he can.

"No," she says. "It's not all right. All you did was try to keep me safe. It's not right how this can happen to you and nothing happens to them."

"No, Dani," Finnick says turning to face her. "It's not right that this is happening to you. I told you that I can look after myself, and I can. Whatever I have to endure for your sake is worth it. You don't need to worry about me."

"But this happened because of me," she says, arguing.

"No, it happened because I told him the truth. I told him I wouldn't do this to you because I was told. I told him you deserve better than to be treated this way," he says, touching her marked cheek that's only now beginning to darken. "But he wouldn't listen. And if I had fought him, he would've hurt you. I swore I wouldn't let that happen."

He wants to tell her he won't do any of what's been asked of him, won't take away something from her that doesn't belong to him, won't hurt her just to save himself when his existence isn't that important. But he can't say it. And he knows she won't let him sacrifice himself to save her innocence or her soul, or whatever she's supposed to value more.

The look in Edana's eyes isn't defeat exactly, but acceptance as she lays her hand over his the way she did the night before over dinner. "Then there's only one thing that will make it stop."

Finnick shakes his head as fervently as he can. "No, Dani, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do."

"You can't!"

"Yes, I can," she shouts.

"But it's not right," he says, pleading.

"No more than what's happening to you," she says. "And if it's not you, then it _will_ be him." She pauses and lifts her other hand to his cheek. "Finnick, I want it to be you. If it wasn't you, whoever he chose would have already done it and gone. You know that now. And it's okay. I can handle it if it's you. But I can't handle it if it's anyone else," she says, shaking her head slightly. "And I don't think you can either. Not anymore."

Finnick knows she's right. He doesn't want her to be right. How will he live with himself knowing that he'll be the one to do this when it's not necessary except to save them both another visit from Snow or another beating from Delmore?

"Finnick," she says after a few minutes of him beating himself up. "I know it's not perfect, and it's not fair. I know all about life not being fair. My father has made my life a long nightmare of not being fair. If life was fair, I would still have my mother. Mila and I would disappear in the wilderness, and my father would fall off a cliff knowing he lost his one chance at having everything he wanted in life. But I learned a long time ago that wanting life to be fair is short-sighted, ignorant and juvenile."

He takes bother her hands in his, holding them up to his lips and then whispering. "But you _are_ juvenile, Dani," he says, laying his forehead against hers. "You're supposed to be young now. This is something no one your age should be doing, not like this. There are days when I wish I was still juvenile, that I could spend all day doing nothing and not have a care in the world except what kind of fish to buy my mother for dinner or what kind of name my father wanted to give our new boat. But I'll never be juvenile ever again, because of everything Snow has done. I had to grow up and deal with everything too soon, and now it's affecting my family and my friends. I don't want this to affect you. I don't want it to change you."

"But it already has," she replies, pulling him from the window to the bed where the food is waiting. "I've been battling against my father since before my mother died. And I haven't really been a little girl since I was eight when she died. I have memories of my mother that won't ever fade away, but they're old and so blurry that all I know is that she was beautiful and smelled like lavender. When I look at pictures, it's almost like I'm seeing the wrong person. It can't be her because she's smiling. My mother only smiled when she was with me, and Jarvis. And it's not fair. But it's life."

Finnick sighs still holding her hands and still not wanting to give in even when he knows she's so much more grown up than she should be. As she talks about her mother, he can't help but think of Jarvis, knowing now what he does and the fact that he could become a man who's so alone in the world that he's forgotten how to fight for the people he loves. Finnick doesn't ever want to become a man like that. He can't leave the people he cares about to a fate worse than death, but he won't let Snow kill them just to prove a point.

Standing there with Edana in front of him, Finnick realizes the one way he can fight for her _is_ to show her what being loved really looks and feels like. It's more than sex, and it's more than one person's wants and needs. If she'll know it for once in her life and Finnick can give that to her, then it will be Thane who suffers, knowing his wife won't be the one to long for something she won't ever have because Edana will have already had it and know it the next time she sees it.

"Snow gave me three more days to . . . recuperate," Finnick says as they now stand by the bed. "And we're going to take them. Because I'm taking you home with me for three days."

"What about Mila?"

Finnick nods. "We'll take her too. She's mostly here for you anyway. Delmore can borrow someone else's Avox for a few days."

Curiously, Edana grins and shakes her head. "How do you plan on pulling this off? When we get back, he'll still expect you to — "

Before she can say it, Finnick leans over and kisses her, again cradling her face in his hand and gently swiping his tongue along her bottom lip before he lets go and lays his forehead against hers. "I know," he says. "And that's okay. But if he wants me to do this my way, then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Otherwise, like you said, he would've called someone else. Don't worry, Dani. I know what I'm doing."

While grasping onto his arm and laying her hand over his again, Edana smiles and nods. "Okay. I've never been to any of the other districts. What's it like in District Four?"

"It's beautiful," he says instantly. "Just like you are."

She laughs and so does he.

"We should eat," she says. "I don't think Mila liked not making us dinner properly. I tried to keep it down to just one plate this time."

Finnick doesn't say anything, stepping over to the bed and sitting down with her so they can eat the food that's been prepared for them.

* * *

_**Things don't seem to be going so well for our pair here, but surely, something good can come out of it, right?**_

_**Introduced a new character, one who is a lot like Finnick and someone he could've ended up like. What did you think of Jarvis?**_

_**Thanks to everyone who's reading, and a special thanks to the few people showing interest by letting me know what you think.**_

_**Next chapter should be a little more interesting.**_

_**Later!**_


	7. Impressions of a Survivor

_**Okay, so it's been a little while, but I'm toiling along to make this a really good story, so it might take extra time to give it a few little nice touches. Things will start looking up a little for the next few chapters, and I'll start to put my own spin on the story that is The Hunger Games. Let's see how I do. And just as a warning, there's some unfriendly language that comes out of Finnick and his father's mouths. So you'll know.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games. They belong to Suzanne Collins, and she is an utter genius. But all the original characters and story are mine.**_

_**I also edit all my stuff, but I'm human, and I miss things. See something wrong? Let me know, and I'll try to fix it.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Impressions of a Survivor**_

Never before in his life has Finnick ever asked President Snow for anything. The man is too self-serving and threatening to understand anyone else's needs or requirements. But Finnick needs to take Edana and Mila out of Delmore's house if he's going to show them what it feels like for someone to really care about them, and even if Mila hasn't spoken a word to Finnick this entire time, he can honestly say that he cares about her and what's going to happen to her when he leaves. Whether Delmore was cruel to her before Finnick arrived or not, it won't be happening again while he's around.

More than that though, Finnick wants Edana to know there are other people who are just like her — young, strong and capable of deciding what their lives will be.

So Finnick tries not to sound worried when he calls Snow instead of going to the man to make his request. He wants to leave as soon as possible, and he knows if he goes to Snow, it will take all day. This is easier and faster, and right now, that's what Finnick needs. He does not want to be in this house when Delmore comes back.

"What benefit would it be to me for you to take Ms. Clementia to District Four, Mr. Odair?" Snow asks over the phone less than half an hour after Finnick and Edana have finished eating breakfast.

"It doesn't matter if it's beneficial to you," Finnick says defiantly. "I agreed to do what you asked, and we both know you wouldn't have asked me if you wanted it done already. This is the way I want to do it, and if you want it done for Delmore's benefit, you'll allow me to do it my way. Or it won't get done at all, and I'll take her away from here."

Snow laughs a soft, confident laugh. "Oh, Mr. Odair, please don't insult me. You know I could find you all and bring you back here so easily."

"Then it won't be a problem for me to take her to District Four," Finnick tells him. "For three days, and then I'll bring her back."

There's silence for probably a minute, and Finnick knows he's made his point.

"Three days," Snow says. "Not a moment more. I'll send a car to take you to the train station. If I sense even a hint of foul play on your part, Mr. Odair . . ."

He doesn't have to finish his statement, hanging up before Finnick can. Once this is finished, Finnick just has to figure out what he'll tell his parents.

By the time a car from the President's mansion arrives, not only has Finnick already packed his bag and Edana's, but he's also helped Mila pack a bag of her own. She was initially reluctant because she thought he was following through on the promise he made last night, but when he explained, she agreed and found a few things to take with her. Because no one will be around to stop him, Finnick actually can't imagine the look on Delmore's face when he comes home tonight to an empty house, although Snow will more than likely inform him and send another Avox over before the initial shock has a chance to wear off.

To be on the safe side and so the driver won't recognize Mila, Finnick has Edana change Mila and put her in regular clothes. It's not easy at first, and Mila looks just about as terrified as she did upon seeing Finnick for the first time, but after almost two weeks, she's become somewhat accustomed to his presence. She trusts him, and it's easy to see that she knows he won't let anything happen to her or Edana. She even smiles when she sees herself in the mirror after changing, something she hasn't done the entire time he's been here.

It's only a few minutes from the house to the train station, and Mila sits next to the window watching everything slip by while Finnick and Edana sit on the other side of the seat. It will take probably most of the rest of the day to get to Finnick's home in District Four which is on the Old Louisiana Gulf, or what's left of it. They'll have to travel through District Two which is mostly flat and dug-up quarries, but then they'll move through most of District Four to get to the coast. Finnick will only be home for three days, and he'll have to make it last.

The Capitol train is already glimmering in the mid-morning sunlight, and a group of attendants is waiting to take whatever bags have been brought. One tries to take Mila's bag, but she refuses to let go, startling him and making him stumble when she holds it away from him. The first car they enter is the food car, and they're ushered to another car that's obviously meant for sleeping and showering. Because this is similar to the train that transports the tributes from their districts to the Capitol for the Games, there are at least four separate cars for four separate individuals plus other amenities. Finnick waits until the attendants have dispersed to the car at the back of the train before he helps Mila settle into a compartment of her own. Then he directs Edana to another for them to share since they've been sharing a room for the last eleven days.

"Is this the way you came to the Capitol?" Edana asks as they move from their compartment to collect Mila and then get something to eat.

"Yes and no," Finnick says. "That train was smaller, and then a different car drove me from the station. I usually only come to the Capitol once a year, during the Games. If Snow hadn't called me, then I wouldn't have come back for another six months, with two tributes who would have more than likely died if they weren't old enough."

A disappointed look crosses her face, and Finnick knows he's said something he shouldn't have.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "I was just thinking that if he hadn't called you, I wouldn't be here now, seeing your home, being away from mine or knowing you. And it makes me feel selfish, because I know your family needs you just as much. Does it make me a bad person if I'm glad it's you and not someone else who wouldn't care about anything but themselves?"

Finnick stops her and turns her to face him as they stand in the middle of an empty passenger car. "You're not a bad person, Edana. None of this is your fault. And it doesn't make you selfish. Snow might have initiated this, but I'm finishing it. I'm finishing it my way, so you're not hurt and so no one can take any of this away from you, because when I leave you, it'll be because you're no longer afraid of people like him. I'm not leaving you until then, all right?"

She pulls in a deep breath and nods, smiling. "All right."

"Good," he says, nodding himself. "Now let's go get Mila. It's time she got to eat some of the food she's been cooking for us the last couple of weeks."

Edana doesn't argue, allowing him to take her hand and pull her along to the next car where Mila is currently waiting.

After eating, Finnick realizes that he still has to let his father know he's coming so someone will be waiting for them at the train station. Peacekeepers and Capitol officials aside, Finnick would rather have a family member there who won't cart him around like he's a parcel package.

Because his father's a fairly good fisherman and his mother does actually make good money selling shellfish to the shops in town, they've always had a phone in their house, and it's the middle of the afternoon when Finnick uses the one in his compartment with Edana to call home.

"Hello?"

It's his littlest brother Zale answering the phone, and it takes Finnick off guard. Since when did his mother let her nine-year-old son answer the phone? "Zale," he says. "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Finn?"

"Yeah, it's me. Where's Mom and Dad?"

"The clinic talking to Jess. Why are you calling? And why aren't you at home? You're not usually gone like this."

Finnick sighs as the compartment door opens and closes, and he turns to see Edana there by herself.

"It's complicated, Zale. Why are they at Jess's?"

"Murphy broke his arm on the boat," Zale says like it's nothing. "He got tangled up in the net while they were pulling the fish. Mom about had a whale yelling at him, but then Jess said she might be having one anyway."

This makes Finnick smile even though he's confused, and when Edana steps up to his side, he extends his arm to pull her into his side. "What are you talking about, Zale?"

"Mom's having another baby, Finn. They told her this morning after she fainted at the clinic. Dad was freaking out over Murphy, and she's the one who needed his help."

"Another baby?" Finnick asks. "I thought she said she wasn't going to have anymore."

"I don't know. I just know what they told me. What are you calling for?"

"I'm coming home, Zale," Finnick says. "For a few days. And I need Dad to be at the train station tonight."

"I'll tell him. What are you coming home for? And why are you only staying a few days?"

For some reason, Finnick laughs, holding Edana closer as he answers, though not the question his little brother has asked. "Don't worry about it, Zale. I'll just see you when I get home, all right?"

"Okay. See ya."

He's gone a second later, and Finnick sighs, hanging up the phone and looking at Edana.

"Zale," she says.

He nods. "My little brother. He's nine. Don't worry. He'll like you. You're just about his size."

She laughs and lays her head over his chest, looking out the window as the flat, dry scenery of District Two flies by. "Is it green where you live?" she asks softly.

"Very green," he says. "And the water is so blue. The air is sweet and warm. You'll love it. We'll go to the beach, and I'll take you out on my father's boat. Annie probably has a few swim suits that will fit you. We'll all go swimming. We'll have so much to do. I hope we get to do it all."

"We'll do as much of it as we can," she whispers.

Finnick can't agree more.

It's dark when they finally arrive at the train station in District Four, which is still more than thirty miles from where Finnick actually lives. The attendants are awake and alert, ready to help their passengers disembark, but Finnick keeps Mila and Edana close to him as they're escorted off the train. It's warmer now than when they left the Capitol, and their coats are stowed in a bag Finnick brought just for that purpose. The platform of the train station is usually empty at this time of night, but because Finnick is expected, the space is occupied by four Peacekeepers. At the end of the row of white uniforms is Finnick's father, dressed in khaki pants, work boots, a denim button-down shirt and his old leather jacket — a spitting image of Finnick with nearly thirty years in his sea-green eyes and the deep lines worn into his face from spending every day of his life in the sun. Only his hair is different, a darker shade of red.

Under the neon white lights of the train station, Finnick's father looks a stark contrast to what he normally looks like in the yellow-gold light of day, and it's this light that allows Finnick to see a not-so-happy look on his father's face. He waits under one of the neon lights, clutching a leather cap in one hand while his other lays slipped into one of his jacket pockets, and when he sees Finnick step off the train with two distinctly different looking women, his unhappy expression quickly changes to confusion.

"It's late," he says once Finnick is close enough. "Who's this with you?"

Gesturing to Edana first, Finnick nudges her forward a little. "Dad, this is Dani. She's a friend. And this is her . . . sister, Mila." Then he looks at his father. "This is my Dad, Finlay."

Edana and Mila look nothing alike, but the rugged-looking man who has Finnick's eyes and his lips smiles cordially. "It's nice to meet you both," he says. "Let's get going before it's too late. Your mother's worried sick about you. She's under the impression something was wrong."

This is the last thing that's said before they leave the platform, followed closely by the Peacekeepers who stay near them until they all pile into an old-looking truck and leave the train station.

Because it's dark and the headlights on the truck are only so bright, the inside of the cab is uncomfortably silent as Finnick's father drives with a blank expression on his face.

This is the worst it's been between Finnick and his father, but this time is different from all the other times. Finnick has never brought anyone home from the Capitol before now. It's much more serious than it ever has been.

Edana falls asleep with her head on Finnick's shoulder on the way, but Mila is alert as ever, sitting next to Finlay and watching everything flash by as he drives.

Nothing is said out loud, but everything is made perfectly clear.

Thirty excruciating minutes later when they reach the ferry to the Victor's Village, Finnick can feel his father's eyes peering at him over Mila's head. There are now questions that will need answering, and Finnick is suddenly terrified.

What will he tell his father? He doesn't have bruises — this time — so it's not like the scars are visible, but it's already written on his face if a stranger can see it. Will Finnick's father react the same as Jarvis' mother did? Won't he know how impossible that already is?

More Peacekeepers check them on to the ferry, asking more questions than necessary and gazing at Edana and Mila for too long before allowing them to board the ferry. Two men follow them, and Finnick tightens his hold on Edana while grasping onto Mila's hand. It's all he knows to do to keep them safe.

Another ten minutes pass as they cross the channel between the mainland and Victor's Island, and when they're allowed to disembark, the Peacekeepers watch them all intently.

From there, it's just a matter of pulling up into the driveway of the eighth house on the left as it sets lit up with the front door standing open. Finnick can already see his mother in her nightgown and shawl, her blond hair pulled into a braid over her shoulder and her hands already laying protectively over her stomach.

It's just a few steps from the truck to the front walk of the two-story house Finnick and his family live in, well, living is stretching it. Finnick stays in the attic because there are only four rooms to sleep in, and his four younger brothers and his mother and father laid claim to those the moment they all moved in when he was fourteen. Zale had only been a toddler, but it was the most space they'd ever had, and their mother wanted to use every room as wisely as possible.

While Finnick steps out of the truck on his side first to get Edana as she sleeps and then Mila, his father collects their bags and leads the way up the walk to where his mother is waiting. She doesn't say anything about the fact that Finnick is carrying a girl in his arms or that Mila looks completely terrified of her surroundings. She just cups his face in her hands and kisses his forehead before stepping aside and letting him into the house with Edana and Mila.

"It's good to have you home," she says. "Even if it is for a little while. When do you go back?"

"Three days," he says. "It's only going to be like this once, Mom. I promise."

She nods and looks passed him at Finlay before gesturing up the stairs. "Well, then we'll let you all get some sleep, and I'll have breakfast ready bright and early."

For once, Finnick is glad for the consideration. He knows he can always count on his mother showing him the most of anyone, especially because despite his four younger brothers and this new baby, she still considers him her favorite before she gave him her name. Of course, Nicolette isn't a great name for a baby boy, but the Nick part was combined with Fin, and it connected them all forever. Three of Finnick's brothers are all named after passed Victors, and Zale is named after a great uncle on their father's side. Whatever this new baby is named, Finnick knows it will be something they've heard before.

Climbing the stairs with Edana still in his arms and Mila close behind, Finnick bypasses all the other rooms, showing Mila the stairs to the attic and then guiding her up the creaky planks to find his room the way he left it two weeks earlier.

The walls are bare hardwood but a bright honey color because it's been imported from another district and treated so it won't ever turn grey. One side of the attic is where Finnick sleeps, his bed from their old house situated under the lone window that lights the space during the day. The clothes he has here are more for working because that's what he does when he's home, but there are some nicer clothes for when he has to attend Reapings. Other than that, however, there's nothing. No reminders, no keepsakes, nothing personal. Most of his personal belongings are stored in a safe place no one will ever find.

This room could belong to anyone if a Peacekeeper walked in right now.

Mila looks around while Finnick lays Edana in the bed, touching his shoulder as he finishes and pointing to the other side of the attic that's cluttered with boxes.

"We use this for storage too," he explains. "Our old house was half this size, but even after over six years, we still haven't completely unpacked. I know I haven't, and my mother and father have a difficult time letting go of things from our old neighborhood."

She twirls her finger around, and he shakes his head, unable to understand.

"What?" he asks.

She twirls her finger again but in a wider circle, and Finnick nods.

"Oh, yes. This is the Victor's Village. You've never been in one before?"

Mila shakes her head, and Finnick worries that he's offended her. Then she smiles.

Finnick steps closer to her and lowers his voice. "Are you from the Capitol, or are you from another District?"

She gestures for something to write on, and he quickly finds a pen and paper for her. _I lived in District Six. My father destroyed a new hovercraft prototype, and he was punished in the public square. My mother had died when I was small. I was the only person they could threaten. When he wouldn't admit his mistake, they took me. I was seventeen._

Finnick reads over what she's written a couple of times before he looks at her. She looks mostly unaffected by what happened to her, but he can't imagine worse. "I'm sorry," he whispers to her.

Mila shrugs, reaching for the paper and writing again. _I adapted. Because my mother died and my father worked all the time, I never went to school, but I could take care of myself. Saffron was the first person to be nice to me and teach me to read and write. I love Edana like she's mine because her mother and I were so close in age when I began working for them. If I had to trade it all and go work for another family or endure Mr. Clementia's poor treatment of me, I wouldn't leave Edana for anything. But I know I won't be able to go with her when she leaves. I'm afraid for her._

Finnick again has to read a couple of times, understanding and wishing there was more he could do. He doesn't give the paper back, moving his arm around Mila and directing her to the bed where Edana is still sleeping.

"You should stay with her. Everything will be better in the morning. I promise."

Without waiting for her, Finnick leaves the attic, meaning to sleep on the couch but finding his father sitting on the bottom step of the stairs as the bottom floor of the house still sets lit up. He turns around to look at Finnick but doesn't say anything. He doesn't have to.

Finnick steps off the stairs and then turns to face him. "Can we not talk about this now?" he pleads. "I've had a long day, and I just want to sleep."

Disappointed, Finlay nods. "Sure. What's to talk about anyway? Especially since you already look older than I am."

Fighting the comment that's ripping up his throat, Finnick steps into the living room and lays on the couch, not bothering with a blanket and falling into a fitful sleep.

Barely four hours pass between the time Finnick lays down and a heavy hand shakes his shoulder. Unlike every night he's spent in the Capitol with Edana, his fitful sleep has been completely dreamless, and when he opens his eyes this time to see his father above him, there can be only one reason he's being woke at this hour.

"Get yourself dressed," his father says. "Your mother's got coffee on. The boys should be gettin' the boat ready now."

Finnick sighs as his father leaves him to do just that, but he doesn't hesitate, rising from the couch after getting less than four hours of sleep and following his father into the kitchen. Coffee first, then he'll get dressed.

Nicolette is currently leaned up against the sink with a mug in her hands. Her hair is still braided, and her nightgown is crumpled under her shawl. Finnick steps up to her side and kisses her cheek the way he's been doing since he was tall enough to reach, and she rubs his cheek before releasing him to get his own cup.

"That's not coffee, is it?" he says to her, letting her know that Zale told him what's happening.

"Of course not," she says. "It's herbal tea from Jess's. And maybe you should switch too. It's better for you."

Finnick pours a generous cup of coffee and begins guzzling it black, eyeing her the entire time as she smiles at him. Slowly, she reaches out and ruffles his hair, obviously noticing that it's a little shorter and brighter because she tugs gently on a few strands before letting go.

"Those girls with you gonna be okay while you're out?" his father ask over his own coffee.

The man's tone says everything his words don't, but Finnick sips on the hot liquid a couple more times before he speaks. "I'll wake Mila and tell her. They'll be fine."

"Well, of course they will," his mother says. "The boys will look after them until you get back, and I think Mags is bringing Annie by. The poor girl's mother is not having a good time of it, especially after her father and brother were hurt on the boat last week. Fin, honey, remind me to send some food home with Annie before dinner tonight."

He nods, looking at his son.

Finally, it's too much to stand there and not look his father in the eyes, so he pours out the remainder of his coffee and heads out of the kitchen. "Let me get dressed," he says to neither of them in particular.

His mother rubs his shoulder, allowing her hand to fall down his arm and into his hand before he moves away from her, and he steps out of the kitchen to go upstairs with a heavy sigh. He's only a few steps away when he hears his parents start to argue.

"When are you going to leave him alone?" his mother complains.

"When he starts telling me the truth," his father says.

"He's home. Isn't that more important?"

"It's _why_ he's home that bothers me. And those girls. They're clearly not from around here. They're from the Capitol. Since when does our son bring girls from the Capitol home?"

"I'm sure he has a good reason, Fin. Can't you just have him here without grilling him? Just this once?"

There's no response, and Finnick climbs the stairs to the second floor without waiting to hear anymore. He'd known after deciding to do this that there would be consequences — good and bad. Naturally, his father is curious about Edana and Mila, but it's not just because they're from the Capitol. It's because they're here in the first place.

On the way to the attic, Finnick stops to check on his brothers in the three rooms that are left after his parents' room.

Dylan, who's only sixteen and has been through four Reapings, is the only one with a room of his own at the moment, since Zale still sleeps in the room he had as a toddler and will now have to share with the new baby when it's born. Morgan and Murphy, who are thirteen and eleven respectively, have shared a room since they moved into this house six years ago after Finnick came home from the Capitol as a Victor. Looking in on his brothers, Finnick remembers that Murphy broke his arm that morning, especially because the cast has Murphy's left arm at a ninety-degree angle and is currently slung across his chest as he sleeps.

Then light from the hall shines on his face, and he opens his eyes to see Finnick there. Slowly, Finnick steps into the room and sits on the bed beside him.

"Hey, buddy. What's going on?"

Murphy shrugs. "When did you get home?" he asks.

"Last night. You were asleep, and it was late. I gotta get ready to go out with Dad, but we'll go fishing later, okay?"

Murphy nods, and Finnick leans over, kissing the boys' forehead and then rise to leave.

Home.

This is where he's supposed to be. He's supposed to be helping his father on the boat and teaching Murphy how to tie up the rigging properly instead of him getting shoved around and having his arm broken.

This is what Finnick is sacrificing every time he has to go back to the Capitol. It's not right.

He checks on Zale last, making sure the nine-year-old is sleeping before he makes his way up to the attic where he left Edana and Mila the night before.

They're also both asleep, and Finnick kneels beside the bed to wake Mila without startling her. She still grasps onto his hand and makes a small noise before seeing him, and when she relaxes, he whispers.

"I'm going out with my dad on his boat, but we'll be back before breakfast. My mother might come up here to check on you. She's a nice woman. She won't hurt either of you, all right?"

Mila glances at Edana, deciding and then looking at him again. She nods, and he cups her face in his hands.

"You're safe here," he tells her. "You both are. Even with what my father does, they won't hurt him or anyone else in this house as long as I'm doing what Snow says. And as far as he knows, I am. So you don't have to be afraid, okay?"

Showing him that she understand what he's saying, Mila wraps her hands around his wrists and nods again. He shows her what is sure to be the first kindness of someone new in a long time, kissing her forehead just like he did Murphy's and then stroking her hand to lay her back down. This is the last thing he says before moving to the clothes he usually works in to change. Because it's not usually warm until the sun comes up, Finnick dresses in pants and a long sleeved shirt, along with boots and his jacket before he leaves the attic, hopeful that his father goes easy on him this morning.

Finlay is waiting at the door when his son comes back down ready to go, his own jacket on and his leather cap in hand. Neither of them speaks as they leave the house and climb up into the old truck, and since the sun won't make an appearance until at least seven-thirty, it's still dark when they make it to the docks as the ferry from the night before still sets in its place. Finnick notices the Peacekeepers still parked next to it, and they notice him, but nothing is said as he follows his father toward the boat as it also sets tied up. Already, there's chatter on board.

"Finnick!"

The barely masculine voice brings his attention up to the helm, and when he sees Maris Perry holding the wheel, Finnick smiles and makes his way up from the deck.

Maris is only fourteen, but Finnick has been helping him train for the last four years. It's not unlikely that Maris will get reaped in the next four years, but until then, he helps his father Alaric and Finlay with the catches they pull in every day. He also helps with other parts of the business too, but they don't usually talk about that at the docks. They don't usually talk about that until they're out in the water where Peacekeepers won't hear them.

"Home for good?" Maris asks.

"Just a few days," Finnick says. "Been keeping up with your training?"

"You know it," Maris says with a grin.

"All right, you two pretty boys, cut it out and get us out of here," Alaric yells up at them. "Lots to do before breakfast."

Neither of them say anything back as Maris turns the engine over to get the boat started, and Finnick glances back at the Peacekeepers one last time before they back out of port and head out into open water with the nets drawn.

For the few minutes he has, Finnick enjoys the salty air and the lull of the boat as Maris drives. He happens to look over at his training student several times as they pull around Victor's Island and travel out into the gulf, noticing a new scar on Maris' temple and another on his cheek. Maris is sort of a hot head when it comes to the other kids at school, especially because he garners the same kind of attention Finnick did before he won his Games. His dark hair is curly, and his green eyes are bright and intense. Suddenly, Finnick is afraid that Maris might suffer the same fate if he's reaped, and it's this fear that makes Finnick look away from Maris to the other men on the boat.

Really, other than causing trouble, what can Finnick do to save Maris from the life he's been forced into? He can't very well refuse to let Maris go to the Capitol if he's reaped in the next four years, but won't it be bad enough that Finnick will have to guide him nonetheless? Though he's a Victor and has been fairly popular with the people in the Capitol the last six years, Finnick is just Nick around his old neighborhood, and maybe Finn in the Victor's Village because there have only been a few of them who will speak to him. Because Finnick is so young, he doesn't really get along with the older men, but the older ladies, Molly being one of the closest to him in age, are usually nice to him when they seen him. They're nicer to his father.

Before they're all the way around the Island, Alaric comes up and takes the helm from Maris, sending them down to deck to help the others with the rigging so they can drop the nets on the way out into the Gulf. Everyone on board knows how the operation goes, setting aside several crates and traps for crab and shrimp, along with setting the buoys to alert them when the Coast Guard is nearby.

This is what Finnick does until the sun comes up, shedding his jacket to wipe away the accumulated sweat, and finding a spot at the bow of the boat out of the way of everyone else working. So far, they've steered clear of the officials and Peacekeepers, and their hull is stashed with enough food to sell and make enough to last at least two or three months.

Yes, Finnick receives money from the Capitol for winning the Games. Yes, Annie also receives the same amount of money. And yes, they often share most of it with their families. But it only goes so far, and there are other families who need it more than they do. Finlay Odair has been doing this most of his life, and Finnick has been helping since he could mend nets and throw a spear to ward off the sharks attacking their catches. So it is right under the Peacekeepers noses that they catch a little more to sell in town and save more in their stores at home to feed people from their old neighborhood.

Plus, it's difficult enough to get his father to take the money without complaining about how he used to be able to make as much with just his business. The people who take the food don't want the money.

"Haven't forgotten everything I taught you, I see," Finlay says to his son at a lull in the work.

"I'd never let that happen," Finnick replies without looking in his father's direction. "Even after everything."

"Everything," his father says. "Like why you brought those girls here?"

Finnick grips the railing, clenching his teeth and staring out at the undulating horizon. "Just ask me what you're going to ask me, and get it over with. Because I'm tired of you looking at me like a stranger."

Finnick's bluntness surprises his father, and it's quiet for several minutes as he collects his thoughts. It's not uncommon for the two elder Odair men to clash at times, but it's usually because they're both so alike. The old adage of opposites attracting pertains more to Finlay and Nicolette than him and his son being two halves of the same coin, which they sometimes are — like now, where Finnick is fed up with his father's stoic silent treatment and Finlay is tired of his son lying to him over something that's so obviously important.

"I raised you to be honest with me," Finlay says to start, and Finnick sighs heavily. "No matter what bullshit those monkeys are telling you, I always thought you could trust me with anything. Especially with everything I've been noticing in the way you're acting recently. Hell, I think I knew this a year or two ago but just didn't want to believe it. Now you better tell me and tell me straight. Are those people making you do something you don't want to do?"

"Say it," Finnick demands softly.

"Just tell me," Finlay says instead.

"Say it first," Finnick repeats, still clenching his teeth and about ready to pull the railing up from its bearings.

"Finnick, I swear on your grandfather's grave — "

"Just fucking say it!" Finnick yells, loud enough for the others to hear him. "Ask me! Am I a goddamn whore? When I go back to that wretched, God-forsaken place, what do I do the entire time I'm there? Do I fuck people for money? Just fucking say it!"

Without responding, Finlay stares at his son like he doesn't know who he is anymore. Angry tears are already streaming down Finnick's cheeks, and Alaric and Maris are standing close by with gaping expressions.

From the helm, Finnick can see Adrian, Maris' older brother also staring, but his expression is less surprised and more disgusted. Finnick hates that he's yelled this for every person who's known him his whole life to hear, but it's the only way to make his father understand what's happening to him.

"I don't have any more control over what happens than you do," Finnick says to his father. "And they said that if I didn't, they would come here and kill you. Kill Mom and Dylan. Morgan, Murphy and Zale. Annie. Mags. I can't — I can't let them do that. I can't," he sobs. "And I thought I could come back here just this once without having to do this. But I can't have you look at me like that anymore. Like I'm not your son, like I'm a stranger."

Finlay doesn't look around at anyone else, keeping his eyes on his son. "And this time? Why did you bring them here?"

"It's — It's complicated," Finnick says softly.

"Then simplify it for me," Finlay pleads. "Are they in trouble? Do they need help?"

"They need more than I can give them," Finnick says, ashamed, defeated. "The only reason we're here is because I told him I would do what he said. I wanted them safe for just a little while before they have to go back to that Hell. It's awful there, Dad. It's worse than the worst nightmare you've ever had. And I have to live it every day of my life. Please tell me you understand. Please," he whispers reaching for his father's shirt and grasping until his head is against the man's chest. "Please."

Slowly, Finlay gives in, putting his arms around his son, and then finally, he looks at the others. "What the hell are you all looking at?" he yells. "Get back to work unless you plan on cooking breakfast yourself."

Alaric moves first, directing Maris away even though the boy in reluctant to leave, and one at a time, the others move off to perform other tasks.

"How long has this been going on?" Finlay asks his son gently.

"Since I was sixteen. They said if I didn't do it, they would have you lost out in the Gulf and kill you. I didn't know then what I know now, so I did it."

Finlay leans back and looks Finnick in the eyes. "Have they hurt you?" he demands.

Sobbing just once more, Finnick nods. "We all thought Jess was crazy for her home remedies and curing us with all those herbs. These people put her to shame, Dad. She's a saint compared to them."

Sighing with his son, Finlay pulls him closer and presses their faces together. "I knew something was different about you," he whispers. "I was just too stubborn to say anything, and it looks like I passed that on to you."

Finnick shakes his head. "It's okay. I like that about myself, even if it does get me into trouble sometimes."

"You and me both, boy. Especially where your mother's concerned." Finlay leans back to look at Finnick again. "That wasn't so tough," he says, making his son laugh just once before he begins to cry again.

"It's okay," Finlay says.

Finnick shakes his head. "It's not okay, Dad. I'm a slave, and I have the scars and horror stories to prove it. I can't let Annie know this yet. It would crush her. Or Mom. Please. Not until I'm ready to tell her myself."

"It won't be easy to hide this from her, Finnick," Finlay says. "We share a bed at night."

Grasping onto his father's strong arms, Finnick clenches his teeth again. "Please. Not now. I want to tell her when I know she's healthy. After the new baby's born. Please."

Finlay sighs and claps his hand over the back of Finnick's head. "You drive a hard bargain just like she does." He pauses and strokes his son's hair. "Okay. But you're gonna tell her. If I have to sit you down in front of her and make you do it myself. You're gonna tell her. Understand?"

Finnick nods. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now that's all over, we can talk about how Jess thinks your mother might finally be having a girl this time," he says, and Finnick laughs again without breaking down. "Something about her being in her prime or some shit like that. I know her mother will be proud."

This is the last time they talk about what Finnick does in the Capitol, preferring to talk about fish, Peacekeepers and some new law that's supposed to be passed in the next year or two about a new transportation to get the seafood to the Capitol.

It's almost nine-thirty when they make it back to the island with their morning catch, and while they usually eat Jess' diner on the dock, Finlay knows that his son wants to go back to the house where his guests are waiting for him. Alaric and Maris join them in the old truck to drive back to the house since only specific people are allowed into the Village, that being the families of Victors, and Alaric and Maris, along with Adrian, all live with Molly across the way from Finnick's parents. Adrian agrees to keep the rest of the guys from the boat at the docks to watch the boat while Peacekeepers are patrolling. Since Finnick is only home a few days, he wants to show as much of the Island to Edana and Mila, starting with all the people he considers his family.

The drive from the docks to the house is only five minutes, and as soon as they pull up into the driveway, the front door opens, allowing a dark-headed girl with flowing hair outside as she smiles wider than it seems possible.

"Finnick!"

He meets her halfway as she jumps into his arms, and he holds her as tight as he can even though he knows he must stink by now.

"You're home," she cries.

"I'm home, Annie," he whispers. Then he leans back to look at her. "Are you here with Mags?"

She nods. "And Molly. She knew Al and Maris would come here after going out this morning."

"Well, let's go say hi," he says, taking her hand and pulling her back inside the house.

When Finnick left two weeks ago, Annie hadn't looked too good, especially after the argument they'd had before he left, but now, it was like that hadn't happened. In a year and a half since her Games, Annie had been plagued with nightmares and mood swings. She wasn't always pleasant and had a tendency to blame anyone nearby for her strange behavior. Right after she'd come back from the Capitol, her mother and father and her older brother had pleaded with Finnick and Mags to help her recovery. They hadn't been able to say no.

Finnick knows it's not Annie's fault that she's a little strange sometimes. When he first met her, she was gentle and quiet. Being in the Games changed her. It changed them all.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Annie asks as they all step into the house where it's nice and cool.

"Well, I didn't know until the last minute," Finnick says, guiding her toward the kitchen where he can hear his mother and brothers. "But I'm here now."

Annie clings to him just like she did the last time he was home, and he hold her tight too. He doesn't like that he'll have to leave her so soon after getting here, but there isn't anything he can do about it. He knows Mags and Annie's parents will help her, along with his parents and their friends. Molly and Alaric, Adrian and Maris. Right now, Finnick only wants to make sure Edana and Mila are okay.

The first thing Finnick sees, other than his mother now wearing a different dress with her hair pinned up and a solid green apron as she hovers near the stove as food cooks for breakfast, is Edana and Mila sitting amongst his brothers who may as well be keeping watch over them — like they know these two new people in the house need watching and protecting.

Wearing clothes that look strikingly similar to what his mother's wearing, the moment Edana sees Finnick, she smiles at him like she hasn't seen him in months. He's confused for a minute before Nicolette speaks.

"Now there is my eldest son," she says, moving to his side and putting her arm around him. "I figured it would take a few hours on the boat for him to make an appearance."

Finnick blushes for what feels like the first time in years, holding his mother like he hasn't done it since he was fifteen, which is probably true, and she kisses his cheek, whispering so only he will hear.

"Your friends are lovely, baby, but you should have at least told me about Mila."

She leans back then, eyeing him sternly and then nudging him toward the table where everyone is sitting.

Instead of making Murphy move because he's actually occupying the chair next to Edana, Finnick moves around to sit next to Dylan, effectively placing him across the table from both Edana and Mila. They watch him, and he watches them, but no one says anything until Nicolette approaches them with a skillet of food.

"All right, everybody hold up your plates for the main course," she says.

They each get a large spoonful of boiled fish, greens from the garden and potatoes from the stores in the basement that are carefully counted whenever they buy them in town. Between six boys, three girls and four adults, the servings are on the small side, but there's already bread on the table along with eggs and sausage. It's not exactly Capitol fare, but neither Edana nor Mila complain. In fact, they look much happier to eat their food than anyone else. That's not to say that Nicolette's food isn't appetizing, but it's been the same for the last few months, and even though Finnick has been away for two weeks, it doesn't look like anything's changed. Obviously, their food situation hasn't improved.

"How much did you catch this morning?" Nicolette asks as she and Finlay stand off to the side with their plates.

"Enough," he says cryptically.

Nothing else is mentioned about the morning on the boat. Murphy speaks up next, looking across the table at his eldest brother.

"There's going to be a bonfire tomorrow night to celebrate Jess' birthday. Looks like you came home at just the right time."

"That sounds like fun," Finnick says. "I guess I did come home at a good time."

"Yeah," Alaric says. "It's too bad you have to go back so soon."

Despite his nonchalant tone, Finlay, Finnick and Maris all stare at him, but none of them say anything.

He shrugs and shoves a fork full of food into his mouth. "I'm just saying."

"Well, say it again," Nicolette says, "and you can vacate my house. He's here right now, and I plan on enjoying it to its full extent."

Molly laughs, as does Mags.

"Geez, Mom," Morgan says, "take it easy. It's not like we need to pull out the fanfare or announce it in the public square."

"No," she says. "But that doesn't mean I have to be reminded of when he's gone. Eat your breakfast, Morgan Odair, or go outside."

By now, Finnick is smiling again, chancing a glance at Edana as she sits between Murphy and Mila and seeing that she looks happier than he's ever seen since he met her. He knows it's only been two weeks, but it's still something that makes him happy.

The whole of breakfast is spent talking about the bonfire, where it is, when it will be exactly and who all is invited. Because it's for Jess' birthday, nearly everyone on the Island and across the channel is invited. Everyone knows Jess because she's the closest thing to a healer they have, and the Medical Center is near the train station and the square thirty miles away. Though never reaped herself, both of her children were when they were sixteen and seventeen respectively. That was before Finnick became a Victor. Only Molly came out alive.

Because Finnick has guests and because Murphy won't be going back on the boat until he learns to tie off the rigging properly, when it's time to go back out on the boat, only Finlay, Alaric and Maris leaves the house to do so. The beach is only a hundred feet from Finnick's house, and that's his first stop after both Edana and Mila have changed into more appropriate clothes.

"I've never been to a beach," Edana says as they walk behind Annie and Murphy who've decided to keep them company for the day. "In fact, I've never been anywhere. Thank you for bringing me here, Finnick."

He cups her cheek gently while holding her other hand as he leads her down the boardwalk to the beach. "You're welcome. I wish we could stay longer. So we'll just have to squeeze in everything we can."

She doesn't reply but squeezes his hand, silently giving him her approval.

"You're from the Capitol, aren't you?" Murphy asks as soon as they're close enough.

"Way to be blunt, Murphy," Finnick says, reaching out to slap his eleven-year-old brother in the head gently.

"What?" the boy who just broke his arm says, dodging Finnick's hand easily. "That's where you're coming from, and they're both here with you. Any other kid would be more curious than me."

"But with a better ability of keeping his mouth shut."

"It's okay," Edana says before she looks at Murphy. "And yes. We're from the Capitol. Or well, I am. Mila is originally from District Six."

Murphy's suspicious green eyes land on Mila for a few seconds, but before he can say anything, Annie moves to Edana's side and links their arms to pull her along.

"Well, I think you're here just at the right time. No Capitol officials to hound us. No stylists to doll us up in ugly clothes, and certainly no over-dramatic TV personalities asking us stupid questions. We'll have to make your time here extra special so when you go back, you'll miss us until you cry."

Finnick barely has time to react before Edana laughs and agrees.

"I'm sure I will," she says to Annie and then looks at Finnick with her eyebrow raised.

For the rest of the morning, until it's time for lunch and Murphy starts complaining about getting sand between his cast and fingers, they all walk up and down the beach collecting shells and shiny rocks. Edana seems to enjoy it much more than Mila though they both seem to be relaxing with their environment. The only thing missing is a swim, but Finnick decides that since she's never seen the ocean or left the Capitol, Edana might not know how to swim.

"What makes you say that?" she asks as they walk up the boardwalk with their bounty of shells and rocks in the skirt of her dress.

"Well, they didn't teach any of the tributes in my Games how to swim for the arena. I already knew, along with my tribute partner, but not many of the others could swim. Did your mother teach you?"

"As a matter of fact, Jarvis taught us both. At least, that's what he tells me. That he taught her, I mean. There was a rehabilitation pool in the Medical Center where he worked, and I was a baby. I've known how to swim ever since. Does that surprise you?"

He nods but smiles. "A little, yes."

"And how long have you known how to swim?" she ask, poking his side and teasing him just a little.

He retreats from her poking finger a little and playfully rubs his ribs. "Since before I learned to walk," he says. "Where did Jarvis learn? If he's from District Five."

"He lived next to a lake, across the way from the Hydroplant."

Finnick nods, understanding. "Right. Because they provide power. The makes sense."

"Actually," she says and tugs on his shoulder to make him lean in closer. Then when he does, she whispers. "He said it was against the rules for him to do that, so don't tell anyone I told you."

Surprised that she's divulged this about Jarvis when before she wouldn't tell him anything, Finnick leans back to look at her. "The secret will be safe with me."

She smiles and leans up quickly, kissing his cheek, and without thinking of who's watching, Finnick turns his lips to hers to kiss her back.

"That's gross," Murphy says, and Finnick laughs against Edana's lips before turning his head toward his brother.

"Don't speak too soon, little brother," he teases.

Murphy shakes his head, and Annie laughs a little louder than necessary. No one says anything to her. They all just continue on to the house.

For lunch, Nicolette has cooked an assortment of shellfish and rice, spicy and filling even though Finlay doesn't come back with Alaric and Maris. Finnick knows they won't be back until it's almost dinner time. He sits with Edana this time, guiding her through the new food and wondering exactly why his mother chose to cook this when they hardly have it in the house.

Mila has a little trouble with the rice but otherwise enjoys having someone else cook for her, and Nicolette keeps her glass of water filled to help with swallowing even though she doesn't tell anyone why she does this.

It's just another small miracle that Finnick loves about his mother.

* * *

_**So how do you like Finnick's family? I tried to make it feel like he could've had a semi-normal family life before being reaped and then winning, and the strain between him and his father was almost too difficult to write. And again, it's Finlay, Nicolette, Dylan, Morgan, Murphy and Zale. I tried to find interesting names but didn't want to make them too strange. If you look them up, they all have really cool meanings that kind of go along with the story, and all Finnick's brother's names have something to do with the sea, since they live in District 4.**_

_**I had a little trouble with Annie and Mags, but we're still working through details, so hopefully, they'll get easier.**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, and a big thanks to those of you who have told me what you think.**_

_**Like I said, this and the next few chapters will look up for a little bit while Finnick is home, and then after that, it'll get a little complicated.**_

_**Later!**_


	8. A Knight's Move

_**Okay, no excuses, so here we go with the next chapter.**_

_**First and foremost, things will be getting a little heated between Finnick and Edana, and since I don't know if it's good enough, I'm warning everybody now. It's not too bad, but still. Just so you know.**_

_**I don't own The Hunger Games. That would be Suzanne Collins, and she is awesome. But the original characters and this story are mine.**_

_**I edit to the best of my ability, but I miss stuff. So if you see something, let me know.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**A Knight's Move**_

Despite Finnick's best efforts, the afternoon is spent, of all places, on the back deck of his house where Annie and Edana string together their treasures into necklaces and crowns of seashells and shiny rocks that would probably put the prettiest jewels in all the Capitol to shame. Mila helps Nicolette clean up the kitchen, and Zale, of all the boys in the house, takes up the manly duties of punching tiny holes in the shells for the twine to slip through and make the new pieces of jewelry.

A few times, Peacekeepers actually patrol up and then down the beach, and it's those few times that Finnick is actually relieved to be in a semi-private area of his parents' house where it's too difficult for the men peering through to see anything but two young girls making themselves busy as the sun creeps along the winter sky.

Finnick remembers how much he's always loved this time of year, mostly because it's still warm during the day but turns cool at night and reminds him that they're in a transition from one year to another. Just six months ago, he was in the Capitol, doing Snow's bidding and unable to fight against anything being done to him. Now, just two weeks after meeting Edana, Finnick knows he can fight back. He wants to. He just has to find the right people who will want to fight with him.

At a pause in his thoughts, Finnick looks up to see Edana watching him, and she strings together a bunch of green shiny rocks before rising and then sitting over the deck chair with him.

"These all match your eyes," she says, draping them over his head and then placing them carefully around his neck. "You can wear this and always think of me."

Finnick smiles and takes her hands in his, pulling her closer until her chest is over his and then leaning up to kiss her the same as he did before. "Then I'll be wearing it all the time," he whispers, wanting to freeze this moment and keep it safe forever.

That gives him an idea, and even though he doesn't move and doesn't let Edana move, Finnick reaches over to ruffle Zale's hair that matches his almost exactly.

"Go grab the image recorder for me, little brother."

Zale doesn't hesitate, rising quickly even as he brandishes a tiny hole puncher and then hurrying inside for what Finnick has requested.

"Image recorder?" Edana asks.

"Of course," Finnick says. "We're only going to be here a little while. I want to make sure we don't forget it. I'll show you."

While remaining in his arms, Edana spins around to lay her back against Finnick's chest, wrapping his arms around her and then looking back at him. "I know what an image recorder is," she tells him. "My mother used one to give a likeness of me to Jarvis. But won't that upset . . . you know who?"

He leans closer and kisses the tip of her nose. "I don't care what upsets him. You're here with me now, remember? My way, Dani. Plus, I think my mother likes you. She'll want something to remember you when we leave."

Zale doesn't come back for a little while, and Finnick leaves Edana with Annie to check on his little brother, discovering the nine-year-old in the kitchen with Mags and Mila and an old jigsaw puzzle in front of them.

"Zale," Finnick says, and the little boy looks up, caught.

"Sorry, Finn, but I saw a piece that fit, and it was just sort of impossible to resist."

Finnick shakes his head but doesn't say anything, moving back into the living room where he knows his mother keeps the image recorder. It's exactly where he expects, and he grabs it before returning to the deck where Edana and Annie are still working. Neither of them looks up, and just to test the contraption in his hands, Finnick snaps a shot of them. A hiss and then a shriek from the recorder causes them both to lift their heads, and while Annie just smirks and resumes her work, Edana rises to face him.

"So you fancy yourself someone who likes to take pictures?" she asks, taking the recorder from him and turning it on him to snap an image of him before he moves to take it back.

"When I'm here, I'm the one who mans the fishing rods on the boat, and occasionally, I take an image or two of my brothers being idiots," he says as he playfully grabs her arm and then her waist, pulling her into him and then wrapping his arm around her. "But usually it's my mother. She likes to have keepsakes."

"And you?" Edana asks. "Do you like having keepsakes?"

Suddenly, Finnick feels the need to be serious, still holding her but now cradling her head in his hand. "All of my keepsakes are in a safe place," he whispers. "Far away from here. Far away from harm. I wish I could take you there."

He smile fades when she understands what he means, and her eyes trail down to the shiny green rocks around his neck. "Why can't you?" she asks quietly.

He leans in until his lips almost touch hers. "Who says I won't?" he whispers still.

Before she can respond, Finnick takes her hand and spins her around, stepping over so he can sit over the lounge chair again with her in his arms. It takes less than a second to snap a new image of the two of them, but Finnick doesn't stop there.

Because he's never done anything quite like this, he wants to make sure that even if he's doing this for his mother there's no chance that _he_ will forget Edana's face. Whether he believes it or not, it just happens. It's happening with Finnick's grandfather who passed away about ten years ago. When at first, the man's face was so clear in his mind, his eyes the same shade as Finnick's and the freckles across his worn face merging into one, now there's just a flicker of green and brown whenever Finnick sits and thinks about him.

Finnick doesn't want that to happen to Edana. While the gold in her eyes and the flame that burns inside her will never leave his mind for as long as he lives, it's her face that he wants to look at to see those things, instead of having to sit down and think of her every time he needs a reminder of something other than his family to fight for, something besides Mags and Annie to protect, something else aside from the other people he knows who will suffer if he fails.

In this midst of all this picture-taking, Finnick ends up leading Edana away from the house and down the beach with just the two of them. Earlier that morning, he wanted to do just about everything he could with her, but as they walk along the sand as the waves slip up and then back down the beach in a perfect crest, Finnick realizes it's just important for her to be in the open air and feel the water on her skin. All she really needs is to have him with her in this beautiful place where the only thing that matters is just being here.

They end up farther away from the house than Finnick has planned, but that's okay. The Peacekeepers don't walk this far up the beach on the patrols, so Finnick knows he'll be able to sit and talk about whatever he wants with Edana.

"It's so beautiful here," she says as they walk.

"You should be here in summer," he says, holding her hand a little tighter. "Everything is so much greener and more colorful."

"I wish I could stay."

Finnick pulls Edana into his arm and tucks her inside his chest, kissing her forehead and then her cheek. "I wish you could stay too," he whispers.

The smile on her face fades a little, and Finnick nudges her back to look at her, still holding her close and wishing there was something he could say or do to make everything in her life better at this very moment.

Gently, Finnick cups her cheeks in his hands, and she follows suit by wrapping her hands around his arms. It takes absolutely no thought at all for him to lean in as close as he can until his nose touches hers and then his lips brush against hers.

But before he kisses her, he whispers, "If things get even just a little . . . heated while we're here, I don't want you to be embarrassed, okay? And if you need to ask me something, just ask. I promise not to be upset with you. I actually don't think that's possible anymore, but I just want to say that. I'm here for you if you want to talk, about anything. Okay?"

Instead of answering him with words, Edana rises up to her toes, just barely reaching him with her arms around his shoulders and kissing him full on the lips without any reservation at all. Finnick is a little surprised at first, but he doesn't release her or push her away like he did the last time she kissed him. He waits until she releases him to exhale the breath he pulled in, and then he lays his forehead against hers.

"You are the only other man I trust," she whispers. "And you are the only other person I know who's tried to protect me. Maybe you have more in common with Jarvis than I thought when I first met you."

When Finnick leans back, he tries not to look surprised, but it's clear that he's failed before Edana smiles again and flattens her palms against his chest.

"He did it once before," she says. "At a party at the President's Mansion. It was last year, not long before my father told me about the wedding. Edsel Thane was drunk, and he tried to leave the party with me. Jarvis stopped him, made a scene. Thane was embarrassed, but he never did it again."

Curiously, Finnick pries when he knows he shouldn't. "How long has your father known the President?"

Edana shrugs. "As long as I can remember. Probably even before then, when my mother married him. Why?"

"Do they actually work together?"

"As far as I know, yes. But it's not like that. President Snow doesn't trust anyone like that. Especially someone he owes something to."

"And what does he owe your father? Other than this whole thing with Edsel Thane?"

"What do you mean?" she asks, shaking her head.

Finnick looks around to make sure they're alone, but also to find the place he's been walking toward this whole time. The rocky shore of the island comes into view, and Finnick makes his way slowly so Edana has a chance to understand where they're going and what he wants.

Whether she's meant to or not, Edana has given Finnick a brilliant idea. Whatever leverage President Snow has on him, Finnick has just thought of a way to have leverage on President Snow. He doesn't know yet how brilliant it will be, but he at least has a good feeling about it.

Finnick doesn't bother worrying about what time it is considering the sun is only an hour or two from setting, and he doesn't worry about the Peacekeepers or even the idle person that might walk by. He and Edana sit out on the rocky shore with the waves crashing in around them and talk about Delmore and his business with President Snow. What Finnick hears is something he isn't expecting.

It all started just after Edana's mother won the 48th Games. She was only thirteen, and Snow had been in power almost fifteen years already. His rule of tyranny had only just begun, and up until Saffron's victory, the other Victors had been easy to please with their monthly riches and houses and the food given to their districts. Snow had already overcome many obstacles to rise to his seat of power, but it was a lowly Gamemaker who went to Snow and told him that he wanted to marry a Victor. This lowly Gamemaker had a secret of Snow that few people knew and even less people were willing to divulge, and he promised not to tell anyone if Snow gave him what he wanted. This lowly Gamemaker was Delmore Clementia.

When Saffron Lacey won her Games at such a young age and asked for something no Victor before her had ever requested, Snow took an opportunity to make his blackmailer happy, keeping the secret close to him by promoting Delmore and making sure he knew what would happen to him if he ever told anyone this secret. Delmore was a typical Capitol man. He wasted, used, disposed and overindulged just as much as anyone else, all from the room in his basement.

Saffron Lacey was only his second wife, but the first had apparently not had not been able to stomach for Delmore's excessiveness. There was no way to know what had happened to her, but Saffron was even less happy about her husband's activities and did as she pleased just as he would every day.

Edana can't say what that is, because she doesn't know, but Finnick has a decent idea given what he knows and thinks about Jarvis. Finnick hangs on to every detail of Edana's story, especially about everything Delmore hides in his basement. He resolves then to find out, thinking it's possible to use it as leverage on Delmore, but he doesn't say this to Edana. He knows it will only worry her more.

"What secret did Delmore have on Snow?" Finnick asks as they walk back toward the house as the sun literally sets over the horizon behind them.

"I never learned," Edana says. "Everything I know I had to find out myself. But Jarvis helped me when I asked about my mother, and Lucinda showed me how to search the computers and then erase my search words."

This surprises Finnick since Jarvis didn't indicate that his assistant knew anything about Edana or her mother, but he figures after a while, you have to trust someone. "Dani," he says after about a minute of silence. "Do you think other people in the Capitol would have secrets like that about Snow?"

"It's likely," she says without pausing. "He's a very popular man. People spread gossip about everything, even him, but he provides everyone with what they want most. For a price, of course. Their silence or something else he values. Why are you asking these things?"

He doesn't stop walking, but he slows down considerably, holding her hand in his and keeping her close. "If I'm going to fight against him, I need to know his weaknesses, if he has any. I have to be able to share those things with others who want to fight him too. The only way I can do that is to ask the people who might have that information. As much as I don't like it, that means I have to make him think he still has control over me."

Edana understands instantly. "Then you won't be able to stop what you're doing now," she says. "Whenever he calls, you won't be able to refuse him."

Finnick shakes his head, answering her silently, and she looks around too.

"So does it matter now?" she asks after she's been silent herself.

"What?"

She looks up at him but doesn't speak.

Finnick automatically looks around again, seeing the same Peacekeepers from before in the distance and knowing they can see him with Edana. He knows what she's getting at, and he hates that he's the one who's brought this up. But that doesn't mean he's willing to parade it around in front of the people who will report back to Snow whatever progress he's making.

"Of course it matters," he says after half a minute has passed. "Don't worry about him right now. You're here with me, and I say it matters a lot, no matter what I have to do when we get back to the Capitol."

"But he'll know if we don't," she says without looking at him, clearly watching the Peacekeepers who are getting closer. "And anyone who's been told to report back to him will do it without hesitating."

"Of course they would," Finnick answers. "They wouldn't risk being punished themselves for not reporting it."

She grasps onto his hand tighter, stopping him instantly. "Then you'd better kiss me now, because I'm sure those men will tell him we took a walk and then sat on those rocks for over an hour. He'll wonder what we talked about, but he'll be more interested to know that you're doing what he told you to do. Kiss me."

Finnick is a little surprised by her resolve, so much so that she has to make him face her before she grabs his face and pulls him closer to her, kissing him before he has a chance to argue. He is so surprised that he loses his footing and has to grab Edana by the waist to keep from falling into the water, tipping over onto the sand instead. He is so surprised that he doesn't think when he grasps onto her hips and grinds his own hips against hers. Her hands find the back of his shoulders and then the stitches under his shoulder blade, and it suddenly aligns his body with his mind, along with the pain receptors in his back.

Thankfully, this moment comes after the Peacekeepers have walked passed them, and Finnick leans back to be up on his hands and knees above Edana.

"I know why you just did that," he says as quietly as he can without whispering, "but don't you realize it will only have to escalate now? The next time they see us, we'll have to more. They'll expect to see more. We'll have to be more involved."

She nods, reaching for his face. "I know. It's okay."

Finnick is so intrigued and confused that he can only smile and shake his head, lowering his body back to hers with his elbows propped above her head. "Every time you do something I'm not expecting, you just surprise me completely. How are you like this? What's happened to make you this way? Surely, you can't know anything of what you're doing to me."

Edana looks off toward where the Peacekeepers have gone, lowering her voice still. "Here's probably not the best place to discuss such things," she says. "Nor now. Tomorrow. I promise."

He shakes his head again, still smiling as he leans in and lays his forehead against hers a second time. Whatever it leads to, he no longer cares.

Just when Finnick thinks they might be able to lay in the sand a little longer without being disturbed, a rather loud, obvious throat clearing breaks through the crashing waves and the sound of Edana's heart racing just a little faster. Finnick stops even though he keeps Edana under him, lifting his head to see the two Peacekeepers above him with their stun guns ready.

"It's nearly curfew," the one on the right says.

"Get inside," the one on the left adds.

Finnick hesitates for maybe a second, and they step closer to him before he rises to his hands and knees again. "Fine. Jeez. You guys really know how to kill the mood before it has a chance to even get started."

He pulls up to his feet and then helps Edana before pulling her into his side and walking away without another word. They're only six or seven feet away when Edana laughs softly, wrapping her arms around Finnick and laying her head against his chest.

"What?" he asks, feigning obliviousness.

She laughs just once more, leaning back to look at him before she answers him. "You're such a rebel."

He laughs and smiles back, dipping his head a little more to kiss her. "I must get it from my father, because my mother never broke the rules in her life. So I'll take that as a compliment."

They make it to the back deck just a few minutes after leaving the Peacekeepers on the beach, discovering the table on the deck set for dinner as a new face steps out the back door smiling.

"It's about time you showed up, Odair," she says, and Finnick can't believe his eyes.

"Nyla," he exclaims, releasing Edana and stepping forward to embrace her. "When did you get here?"

"While you were down the beach, and shame on you for not letting us know you were home," she says in a chastising tone.

Finnick laughs and steps back, looking at Edana. "Well, I haven't been home that long. Where's Oliver?"

"Inside, helping your mom," she says nodding back to the house and then looking at Edana purposefully. "Who's your friend?"

He slips his arm around Edana's waist and pulls her closer. "Oh, this is Dani. She's a friend. Dani, this is Nyla," he says, gesturing to the red-haired girl in front of them. "She is one-half of my two best friends in the world, and she's also got a mean right hook. I should know. She bestowed me with one when I was sixteen."

"And I was nearly ready to do it again when Adrian told me you were home without a word to anyone in the very neighborhood where you grew up," Nyla says, waving a finger at him even as she smiles. Then she looks at Edana. "It's very nice to meet you, Dani. Any friend of Nick's is a friend of mine. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Edana nods even as she lifts her eyes to Finnick. "I'll remember that," she replies. "And it's nice to meet you too."

Nyla smiles but also gives Finnick this look that tells him he has a lot of explaining to do. Instead of humoring his best friend, Finnick nudges Edana toward the door.

"We need to go change for dinner," he says.

Nyla doesn't stop him, and Edana doesn't argue, at least not until they're walking up the stairs to the attic where all her clothes are along with his.

"Why didn't you tell her where I'm from?" she asks.

"Believe me," he says quietly, "Nyla will ask the next chance she gets. She's sort of protective of me since she's a few months older than me."

He moves over to where he's left his clothes, beginning to change and glancing back to see Edana watching him more intently than she has so far. With his shirt off, Finnick moves to her side and lifts his hands to her face.

"President Snow probably has a way to watch us here," he says, nearly whispering. "So I'm going to find a way for us to do this with as much privacy as possible. I don't know how yet, but I'll think of something."

Lifting her hands to his elbows, she leans in as close as she can. "But won't he eventually have to see?"

"He won't see the first time," Finnick says as he shakes his head. "I swear. You deserve that, and I want to give that to you. No matter what he thinks or see when we go back. You understand that, don't you, Dani?"

She nods as minimally as she can, seeming to know that even in this quiet, dark corner of his own house, they're not safe from the prying eyes of the Capitol.

Finnick figures every Peacekeeper has been told to watch him, and he figures President Snow has the house bugged. The safest place for them to really be alone will be the beach, after dark preferably.

Because he's finally thought of it after getting home and then going out on the boat with his father and then spending all day with Edana, Annie and Zale, Finnick finds clean clothes for himself and waits for Edana to do the same before he shows her the bathroom that actually has a large tub and a stand-up shower inside it. Before he does anything, Finnick finds all the things he brought with him that Jarvis gave him to put on his stitches and then he sits Edana up on the counter so she can help him. Only his mother has ever mended the cuts and bruises he's sustained, and that was when he was a child, running around their own neighborhood with Nyla and Oliver and getting into trouble.

While Edana is cleaning his stitches, Finnick comes up with another brilliant idea. He knows the Peacekeepers are watching him, but it's just him. They don't usually patrol up the beach after dark because that would require them to actually do something, and with the bonfire the next night, there'll be more people here than usual, including Nyla and Oliver. They've been together forever, and it's just normal for them to be around each other, even on the Island where they only come to see Finnick. If they walked up the beach with everything he needed to be alone with Edana, the Peacekeepers wouldn't follow them or question them. Nyla and Oliver are together that much.

Even with the antibiotics ready and a bandage on the counter, just before she covers up the stitches holding Finnick's skin together, Edana gently presses her lips to his skin and wraps her arms around his chest. Finnick can't help but smile as she sets her chin on his shoulder, and he leans in to kiss her just as gently.

"You can use the tub," he says to her. "You've had a long day walking on the beach."

From there, they separate slowly, and while he moves to the stand-up shower to clean off the day he's just had, Edana steps behind the partition separating the tub from the rest of the bathroom. This is just the opportunity he needs to think over everything he's going to say to Nyla. Finnick is actually surprised that no one has told her about his outburst on the boat this morning, but it's also possible that she knows and simply hasn't said anything to him about it. It's just like Nyla to wait until the opportune moment to bring up a surprise subject.

Finnick makes a mental note while he's in the shower to corner Nyla before dinner so she won't do that in front of his mother.

Edana's bath and Finnick's shower end at the same time, and they've spent the time without saying anything it's possible for anyone to hear. He makes sure to wait until she's dressed to step around the barrier so she can put the antibiotics and a bandage on his stitches, and once that's done, he finishes getting dressed and walks Edana back downstairs to the back deck where even more people have congregated.

Finnick sees Oliver with his father by the grill, and he sees his mother and Mila drinking wine with Molly and Jess. Nyla is nowhere to be seen as Alaric and Maris mill between the table eating chips and then the cooler where all the drinks are being kept. Kendra, Nyla's little sister, is sitting with Zale and Annie, and there are small torches lining the walkway that leads to the beach. But no Nyla.

"Is everything okay?" Edana asks when she notices that he's looking for someone.

He looks around again and then leans down to whisper to her. "I've got to talk to Nyla for a few minutes. Do you think you'll be okay out here without me?"

She sighs and folds her arms over her chest. "You know, I took care of myself a long time before you showed up," she says, not sounding peeved, but not being cute either.

Finnick sighs too and lifts his lips to her forehead before he turns to go back inside. He looks back just once to make sure, watching Edana move to Mila's side to join the conversation that's obviously taking place between the three women standing there.

He's about to step into the kitchen when a little hand grabs him and pulls him into the dining room of the house. Instantly, he's faced with Nyla and her "you better start talking now" face.

"What's going on?" she demands.

"Shit, Nyla. Warn a guy before you grab him like that," he shouts, completely serious and breathing hard to calm his racing heart.

"Tell me what is going on," she says a little more calmly. "And don't say it's too complicated. I'm sick of you saying it's complicated. I'm nineteen, Odair. I think I can handle it."

"Really?" he exclaims. "Because I'm nineteen too, Nyla Collins Merrill, and even I can't handle it. And I'm serious about grabbing me like that. Just watch it, all right?"

Her face softens a little. "All right," she says timidly, which isn't like her at all. "I'm sorry. Just tell me what's going on, please?"

Finnick knows he can't say anything in the house, so he grabs her hand and pulls her toward the front door and then out onto the front lawn where he hopes they'll be far enough away from listening devices that might be inside the house.

"If I tell you this," he says as quietly as he can without whispering because he wants her to hear him, but no one else, "then you have to swear you won't tell my mother. Not until after the baby's born. And you have to swear that you won't tell Oliver, because he'll talk. He always talks."

"I won't," she says. "I swear. Now tell me."

Finnick sighs again and sits down on the front steps of the walk, as far from the house as he can be without leaving his own yard. "I'm surprised no one from the boat told you about my meltdown this morning. Especially Alaric and Maris. They're usually the ones who tell everyone else."

"They didn't say anything. Which is why you're going to."

Shutting his eyes and trying to keep the memories as far away as he can while he speaks, Finnick turns to face her as she waits. "I've been going to the Capitol for a different reason than what most people think," he says.

"Not for the Games?" she asks, shaking her head.

"Well, yes, but there's more. I couldn't tell anyone because I didn't know what would happen if anyone but me knew. It's dangerous, Nyla. It's completely dangerous, and people have died because of this. No one I know, I'm sure, because I've been careful. But people have been killed because of this. I can't let that happen to anyone I know. Not because of this, and not because of me."

"My God, Finnick, just tell me," she pleads. "You're my best friend, and we've always told each other everything. I can't handle it. I promise."

For a minute, Finnick is angry, knowing he's about to put his best friend's life in danger just because he's done something he's never done before by bringing Edana and Mila home with him.

"I'm not — " he stops, huffs and hangs his head. "I'm not just mentoring the kids that go to the Capitol every year. And I'm not just going to parties. It's worse than that. You know all those kids at the bonfire every autumn who go around like there's no tomorrow with all the liquor and herbs and sex?"

He can't look at her, but he knows she's heard him.

"I know," she says.

"Imagine your best friend as a participant, and an unwilling one at that."

She's quiet for longer than Finnick can stand, and he has to face her after about ten seconds.

"Oh, my God," she whispers.

"I swear I didn't want to," he exclaims. "But they told me the people I cared about would die."

Slowly, she lifts her hand to his cheek, something she hasn't actually done in a while. "How old were you?"

"I was sixteen."

Her eyes widen as she balks. "Sixteen?"

He nods, unable to say anything.

Another ten seconds pass, and Finnick is sure he's said too much. He's about to get up and leave when Nyla suddenly grabs him and pulls him into her arms, really holding him for the first time in months. Finnick reciprocates, helplessly sobbing because he hasn't all day.

It's quiet for several minutes after that. Finnick doesn't really want to talk after that. He wants Nyla to connect the dots all by herself, to conclude that somehow Edana is different and that he wants to help her as much as he can.

And because she's Nyla and knows him inside and out, this is exactly what she does.

"You're coming from the Capitol," she says as she leans back to look at him. "And Dani . . . Finn, what's going on with her? Why is she here?"

Finnick pulls in a deep breath, collecting his words. "She's like us, Nyla. She's not like them. And she's amazing and vulnerable and scared and wounded, and she needs me. I don't know what I'm supposed to do to help her, but I had to get her out of there for a little while."

"Why does it have to be you?" she asks, pleading. "Why can't it be someone else?"

Even with everything Finnick knows about Jarvis, what he tells Nyla next is something he believes completely. "She doesn't have anyone else, Nyla. And her — I mean, the man she stays with is cruel to her. He's been awful to her since her mother died, and I think I'm the first person to come along who wants something better for her — even if I can't give it to her the way she needs. I have to do something."

"Why are you even with her, Finn? Why — "

She stops before finishing her question, the expression on her face connecting everything he's told her so far. Her eyes go blank as she looks away. "That's the reason why you went to the Capitol this time," she says. Then she looks at him. "And there's only one reason why someone would do that. How old is she?"

"Sixteen."

A heavy sigh escapes her lips as she shuts her eyes, finally understanding. Again, it's quiet a few minutes until she speaks again. "You brought her here for a reason," she says, and Finnick nods. "And that means you're going to do whatever they asked you to do." Again, he nods. She glances back at the house and then out around the other houses of the Village. "What can I do to help?" she asks, looking at him again.

Relieved that he doesn't have to say anything else, Finnick pushes out the breath he pulled in just minutes earlier. "Well, for one thing, you can't tell my mother. Not yet. Not until after she has the baby. I don't want anything to happen to her if I can prevent it."

Nyla quirks her eyebrow at him. "Are you sure that's the only reason?"

"No," he says. "I know what she'll say. I know what she'll tell me to do, and I can't do that. It's not safe if I stop doing it. Peacekeepers will come here and kill everyone I know, everyone I love. If I have to make sacrifices for all of you, then it's my decision. Nyla, please. Please don't tell her."

"And are you going to tell her after she has the baby?" she asks, demands really.

"Yes," Finnick says even though he sighs. "I promised my father that I would tell her."

She inhales and exhales through her nose, looking at him sternly for a few more seconds before her eyebrows relax and a smile appears slowly. "What else do you need me to do?"

Finnick looks around again, for Peacekeepers, other Victors who don't actually like him, people who don't need to know what he's about to ask. He leans in to Nyla as close as he can, grasping onto her arms and lowering his voice to its very bottom register so only Nyla will hear. "I need to be alone with Dani tomorrow night," he just about mouths but makes sure she hears him. "And you and Oliver are the only ones who can help me do that."

It doesn't take much else for Nyla to understand what Finnick is asking. She leans back and looks up at his sea-green eyes with a pair of her own, and with just a glance back at the house, she nods without saying a word.

When Finnick makes it back to the deck where everyone else is still standing around talking, his eyes naturally sweep over everyone's faces until he sees Edana sitting up over the railing that separates the deck from the beach, and he weaves through the small sea of warm bodies to reach her, allowing the cool breeze off the surf to touch his skin and then pulling off the button down shirt covering his t-shirt to drape it around Edana's shoulders when he makes it to her side.

"There's usually a fire going at night in the winter," he says gently, sitting in front of her over the railing.

She smiles and turns her eyes back to the beach. "It's so beautiful here," she whispers.

Finnick glances around, scooting closer to lay her legs over his lap as he leans in and whispers to her. "Nyla is going to help us tomorrow," he says. "We'll be alone just like I promised. We might not be able to stay away all night, but I'll keep you safe, all right?"

Edana doesn't say anything, enfolding her arms around him to hold him close to he'll know her answer. He holds her just as completely, kissing the side of her neck and then leaning back to look at her.

"Come on," he says. "Time to mingle before dinner."

With that, he takes her hand to help her off the railing and then pulls her to the other side of the deck where everyone else is doing just that.

While not as raucous as a bonfire usually is, dinner is still filled with laughter, conversation and everyone 'aww'ing and 'ooh'ing over Nicolette's pregnancy. Finlay acts all oblivious to the rumors that he has purposefully forgotten exactly what's causing all his children to pop up like weeds. Finnick spends half the night holding Edana and his mother because they're two of the only people who don't look at him like he's a disappointment or someone who needs to be saved the way his father does now.

Now that Nyla has agreed to help him, Finnick feels a hundred times lighter even if he still feels like he's being watched. Finnick can handle that as long as he gets one up on Snow for a change.

Nyla and Oliver are the first to leave with Kendra, and after that, Alaric, Molly, Adrian and Maris leave while Jess sits with Nicolette and talks about the baby and when it's due. Because it's after curfew, they can't go onto the beach, but Finnick's brothers run around the house to make the Peacekeepers antsy.

In the midst of this, Finnick and Edana disappear into the house so the men patrolling the beach won't see them. Mila has long left the gathering of people in favor of turning in, but other than that, the house is still kind of empty.

"Your friends are all nice," Edana says as they walk up the stairs.

"They were on their best behavior," he says with a laugh. "Wait until tomorrow night at the bonfire."

She nods as they make it to the attic. "I've never been to a bonfire. What's it like?"

"Fun. Loud. It annoys the hell out of the Peacekeepers." He stops at the bed and waits for her to do the same before he steps away from her. "It's late. We should both get some sleep."

He turns to leave but she stops him.

"Wait," she says.

"What?" he asks.

She steps closer to him just a few inches. "You say he's watching us," she says as she stands in front of the bed where she's meant to sleep, and Finnick plans to sleep on the couch downstairs.

Finnick nods to her statement. "He is," he whispers.

"Then we should give him something worth watching," she says leaning up to kiss him more passionately than she has yet.

Though he doesn't stop her, Finnick is unsure at first, grasping onto her body and holding her as close as he ever has but also worried that he won't be able to stop if they start this now.

She feels his uncertainty and whispers against his lips. "Trust me. It's all for show right now, isn't it?"

He kisses her gently and lays his forehead against hers. "Yes," he breathes, kissing her again and then turning around to sit on the bed.

He doesn't have to stay anything else to Edana, watching as she sits on the bed over his legs and wraps her arms around him as tightly as she can. Finnick wants to tell her he won't do anything anyone else needs to see or hear, but before he can, his hands wrap around her legs and pull her as close as he can without them both being naked. The nakedness will come later, but to make this show worthwhile, Finnick has to make sure Edana at least knows that he keeps his word.

"Dani," he whispers, cupping her cheek in his palm, "I need you to look at me."

She kisses him again and cradles his head in her hands, but her eyes remain closed.

"Look at me," he demands but still whispers.

Her eyes flip open, her face so close to his that it is impossible to know who is breathing harder or holding on to the other tighter.

"I won't ever hurt you," he whispers still, "but you have to tell me if I make you uncomfortable at all. All right?"

She nudges the tip of his nose with hers, allowing her lips to brush against his. Then she nods and grasps onto the back of his neck where the evidence of his freshly cut hair is still evident.

The shirt she's wearing under the one he draped over her earlier is thin and also has buttons on the front, so Finnick can see the bare skin beneath it. He doesn't say anything else, unbuttoning the front of her shirt and slipping his hand inside gently.

A soft breath slips between Edana's parted lips as Finnick lays his hand over her skin, but she keeps her eyes open as he strokes her softness and then caresses her ribs to her spine to press her chest against his. He's still wearing his own t-shirt, but her heat permeates through the fabric easily. She's so soft and smooth, so much more than he's accustomed to.

Every Capitol woman Finnick has been with has been rough and processed with weird hair and strange smells. They're all demanding and haughty, and they talk too much. Edana is nothing like them. She is gentle and pure, unsure and genuine, and Finnick knows it won't matter if he shows her a hundred different positions and parades her around the Capitol stark naked. She will always be as innocent then as she is now.

Because Edana is wearing a skirt, Finnick has to be careful not to surprise her when he slips his free hand underneath her to hold her closer. Her warmth envelops him, and for the first time since he was sixteen, Finnick is surprised to realize that he wants her more than he's ever wanted anyone in his life. Her hold on him tightens, and she presses her body against his, obviously helpless against this new sensation filling her body.

"It's okay," he whispers. "I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you."

She responds by kissing him and grasping onto his shirt, tugging it up his back and silently pleading for it to be gone. Finnick obliges easily, helping her pull his shirt up and over his head. The discarded material falls to the floor in a heap, and Finnick slips his hands back up her shoulders, brushing his lips over her chin to her neck as her heart beats so fast but so clear and so perfect. Even the parts of her back covered in black ink are silky smooth and pull over her muscles in perfect synch with her heaving breaths and soft moans for him to be closer, ever so closer, until he might fold her up inside him.

It is at this point that Finnick slips his hand down the front of Edana's body to the waist of her skirt and then moves the soft fabric away to press his fingers to the very spot of her he swore he would never touch until she was ready for him to do so.

Edana's reaction is immediate, but she doesn't stop him. In fact, she presses against him harder, wanting more.

Is it fair that Finnick wants her too? She's not his to have, and yet no one else will have him the way she will. Not now, maybe not ever.

Her little hands quiver up his back, over his shoulder blades and the fresh bandage covering his stitches. Deep, heavy chills wrack every inch of Finnick's body, moving his fingers further against her warmth that's quickly becoming wet. Knowing that he's arousing her arouses him, and he grasps onto her hip and rocks her against him until she's doing it on her own.

"I'll stop if you want me to stop," he whispers, still stroking but knowing he could do what he says and be okay if she asked him to let her go. He could do it now and be okay because she wanted him to do it.

But instead, she scoots closer and kisses him so softly that he only knows her breath and her lips. She shakes her head, giving him her answer without saying a word.

"You trust me," he whispers.

She nods.

He doesn't say anything else, grasping onto the fabric still covering her from him and tugging all of it out of his way with as gentle a tear as possible. Slippery, hot flesh fills his fingers, and Edana reacts again, pulling away this time even though she keeps her lips against his. He waits a few seconds before stroking her slippery flesh and knowing it will be her undoing — and his with her.

"Finnick."

The way his name falls from her lips in a soft, breathy moan sends a new set of chills up and then down his spine, settling in his groin and making him groan against his lips all while he takes her hand and lays it over his crotch.

"What do I do?" she whispers as her lips brush against his, the uncertainty in her voice enough to make him slow down even though he doesn't take his fingers from her.

"Can you feel me?" he breathes against her lips.

She nods as she moves with his fingers, clearly not understanding what he's doing but giving in to it all the same.

"Unbutton my pants," he whispers after a few seconds of realizing that he'll have to at least guide her through this in a way he never has. He adds, "then unzip them."

She does what he says with still quivering hands, and Finnick nudges his nose against hers.

"It's all right," he tells her. "I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you. Just do what feels right."

The instant she takes his length in her tiny hand, the fact that she's unsure is amplified by the way she hold him, her hand so gentle like she's afraid she'll hurt him.

Their bodies begin molding together as his body responds to her hesitant coaxing and her body gives in to his persistent nudging until finally, the length of his finger slips inside her.

"Finnick," she cries, unable to keep control of her voice. That's okay though. The fact that he's closer to her than it seems necessary means that any noise she makes will be the only indication to anyone watching exactly what they might be doing. No other woman has ever moved like this with him, but Finnick doesn't mind it. None of those women were anything like Edana. She can make all the noise she wants if she feels the need to do so. In fact, the more noise she makes, the better.

Her grip on him tightens, not too much but just enough to make him groan again, and he knows for the first time that no one has cried his name in such a way.

Finnick has been having sex for four years, and he tells himself that he's seen and felt everything physical there is to see and feel. But not love. Never love. Until now.

Finnick isn't stupid. He knows in the back of his mind that he's only known Edana two weeks, and only President Snow knows how much longer he'll know her after this unexpected trip to District 4. But he doesn't care. No woman in the Capitol has ever felt this good, and Finnick has to admit to himself that he's feeling something he'd never felt for anyone in his life. Snow won't understand that, and it's for that reason that Finnick leans back to look at the beautiful girl in his arms to make her look at him as he keeps his fingers on her new pressure point.

"Put your arms around me," he whispers.

"But you — "

He shakes his head, and she does what he says, releasing him and draping her arms around his shoulders, effectively pressing her bare chest to his and her face as close to his as it's been so far.

"Look at me," he commands softly.

Her gold-brown eyes flip open as they did before so that she's staring into his sea-green eyes like she can see his soul torn in tatters inside a body that could not possibly still be unclaimed or untainted, but somehow, in her eyes, he sees a part of himself that is still young and new and innocent. He sees that she has awakened a piece of him he didn't even know still existed.

His one finger inside her becomes two, and she stills for a second as a soft hiss escapes her lips. Finnick somehow knows to wait until she adjusts, but as soon as she does, he pushes again, pushing her higher until she's moving on her own. She lowers her hand to his heart while gripping the side of his neck, and together, they nudge her body to its highest peak.

She crashes over the edge of the precipice with a new cry of his name, and Finnick holds her as close to him as he can while doing everything in his power to calm his own body. Being so close to her makes it very difficult, but Finnick purposefully thinks of some crazy contraption he's been made to put himself in, and the need to have sex disappears instantly even with Edana breathing so hard and nudging her pulsing body closer to his.

"What about you?" she whispers.

"Tomorrow," he pleads. "Not here. I'll be all right. I promise."

She somehow knows he's lying, but she doesn't call him on it, still relaxing and holding on to him as he holds her closer and then lays back over the bed with her in his arms.

"Get some sleep," he says softly. "I'll have to leave early, but I'll be back by breakfast."

She doesn't say anything, closing her eyes and laying her forehead against his shoulder. He presses his cheek to hers and pulls the blanket up over them both. No other thought crosses his mind as he falls asleep gently for the first time in months.

* * *

_**Hmm. Maybe a little too cozy? I don't know. And yes, this is going exactly how I have planned, as will everything in the next chapter also. So stay tuned**_

_**Not sure when the next chapter will be ready. I really need to come up with some sort of posting schedule. Any thoughts?**_

_**Anyway, thanks for reading.**_

_**See ya next time!**_


	9. Heat of Winter

_**I know, I know. I suck. Sorry it's been so long. But here we go into the next chapter. Just warning you up top. This has a lot of suggestiveness in it, including but not limited to sex, drugs and profanity. Don't say I didn't warn you.**_

_**There's not much else to say. I don't own The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins does, and I'm one of those people that really wishes she would write an entire series about Finnick.**_

_**I also edit my own stories, but I miss stuff. If you see anything, just let me know, and I'll try to fix it.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Heat of Winter**_

The first thing Finnick knows upon opening his eyes is that it's passed dawn, well passed the time his father would have woken him to go out on the boat. The next thing he realizes is the warm body next to his and the thin, smooth legs entangled with his, and he opens his eyes to see Edana asleep in front of him. Then he sees her bare shoulder and feels her bare hips beneath his fingers. Idly and without expectation, Finnick moves against the bed and feels the sheets against his own bare skin.

For a few frightening seconds, Finnick is terrified that he did something he didn't mean to do — not in the house, anyway. He promised Edana that they would be alone and away from the Village where Peacekeepers would be watching them. Finnick doesn't remember doing anything after they went to sleep. He doesn't even remember the dream he had anymore. Did he even dream?

While he is laying there freaking out, she starts to wake up, opening her eyes and almost glowing in the new morning light as it shines on them both. She lifts her eyes toward him sleepily and then smiles, reaching for his face.

"Good morning," she whispers.

He smiles despite his anxiety. "Good morning," he says as he leans closer and then kisses her like he would any morning.

When she wraps her arms around him, Finnick forgets everything, even the fact that the bed is bigger than it was the night before. He forgets that they were supposed to wait until tonight while the Peacekeepers were busy with the bonfire. He even forgets that he's laying in a bed with a naked girl in his parents' house — or well, his parents live here because he does, but still. It's all the same, right?

Before he has a chance to really think about it, she turns him to his back and then sits up on top of him, still glowing and smiling as her golden hair tumbles over her naked torso. Finnick smiles again and sits up in front of her. Her skin is so smooth and so warm, and when her heart beats against his chest, there is only the two of them in this moment right now. There is no black cloud of the Capitol, no danger of their impending return. None of that exists anymore.

Just before Finnick can kiss her, a loud noise startles them both, and within seconds, thunderous feet clamber up the stairs until about four or five Peacekeepers emerge from the staircase with their weapons ready. Finnick doesn't understand. How did they come so fast? He hasn't done anything but what he was told. He tries to shield Edana from them, pushing her behind him and holding her close just as a slower, calmer set of footsteps come up the stairs.

Finnick knows it can only be one person.

"Finn."

It's his mother's voice, but he can't see her.

The slow walk is joined by a slow emergence of white hair as it rises above the floor and then the attic railing. The thick, white eyebrows are furrowed, the deep-set eyes are cast down, but Finnick knows what this is.

"Finn."

His mother's voice again, but where is she?

A little hand shakes his shoulder, and at first, Finnick think it's Edana. He can't take his eyes off the dull ones staring back at him, punishing him, accusing him. Finnick has to protect Edana from these people, no matter what.

"Finn!"

Bright light flashes across his eyes, and he pulls away, suddenly seeing his mother above him as light from his window shines on her. Behind her, he can see Edana standing there in one of his old shirts with a worried look on her face.

"Finn, baby, are you okay?" his mother asks gently, caressing his cheek. "Dani said you were mumbling about something being wrong."

A dream.

It was just a dream.

Finnick sighs heavily and leans over his legs that he now realizes are still covered by the pants he had on the night before. His mother rubs the back of his neck, ruffling his hair.

"I'm fine," he says softly. "It was just a dream. It's okay, Mom."

"Was it about your Games?" she pushes.

"Yeah," Finnick lies. "But I'm okay now."

For a few seconds, it doesn't look like she believes him, but then she sighs, leaning in to kiss his forehead and then rising to let Edana take her place in front of him. When she sits down, Finnick takes her in his arms like it's been months since he saw her. He doesn't know what he really said or how long he did it for, but Edana looks worried like she was after the first visit from Snow. She holds onto him as tight as he holds her, and slowly, Nicolette leaves them alone.

"It's okay," he whispers to her. "I'm okay."

"You said his name," she says. "What was it?"

"He was here," Finnick says as quietly as he can. "We had already — And he was here to get you. And I just — I don't know what I'm going to do when — "

He has to stop before the sobbing starts again, and he tightens his hold on her without saying anything else. She doesn't move, doesn't speak, holding him as he calms his breathing and his racing heart. The fear is so easy to give in to, but Finnick can't do that.

Not now.

"I think I surprised your mother when I came down in your shirt," Edana whispered.

"Why?" Finnick asks with a light laugh.

"Well, because I'm naked under it, and I think she knew it when she saw me."

He laughs a little louder, leaning back to look at her and then moving her to sit over his legs. "She's not surprised," he says, holding her closer even though he knows now that she's naked except for the shirt. "She's just probably seeing a mirror image of herself about twenty-five years ago. You know you look a lot like her."

"I noticed that, but I didn't want to say anything. And when I walked into the kitchen, it was like she already knew what was wrong."

The little smile that had begun to form on his face fades a little, and he leans back without looking at her as he remembers his dream.

"Finnick," she says softly. "Does your mother know why I'm here?"

He shakes his head without saying anything.

"And your father?"

"He didn't until yesterday morning when I blew up on the boat just before we came back."

"And?"

"He understands — I mean, he won't say anything to her until I'm ready to tell her. She's pregnant, Dani. I can't let anything happen to her. She's my mother."

She cups his cheeks in her hands gently, keeping her eyes on his as she speaks. "I understand," she says. "I do. It's just been a really long time since anyone wanted to take care of me the way you do, and I realized this morning who you must get it from. You might be rebellious like your father, but it's very clear that you take after your mother, even in the way you lie to protect other people."

Finnick doesn't bother fighting the tears in his eyes as they fall down his cheeks, but he can't look away. He knows she's right, and it's more painful to know that even she can see it without being around his family all the time like his mother is.

"She knows something is wrong with you. And I know why you don't want her to know. But you should just know that she's your mother. You're her son. It's her right to know when something is wrong with you. I only wish I had a mother to worry about me the way she worries about you."

No one has ever made Finnick feel so guilty about trying to protect his family by lying to them, but at the same time, every word Edana is saying has made Finnick's resolve even stronger. It places her in an exclusive group of people who are more important to him than breathing. Whether she realizes it or not, every word coming from her mouth is making it even more impossible to stop now that he know what he's going to do when he gets her and Mila back to the Capitol.

"I swear," he whispers after a few long moments. "I will do everything I can to make all of this right. For you. For my mother. Nyla and her little sister. This new baby who could be my little sister. I might not be able to do anything right out, but I swear I won't sit idle by while he controls other people's lives and decides when they live and die. No one deserves that. I don't care where they're from."

Still holding his face, Edana leans closer until her forehead is against his. "You don't have to save me," she whispers so softly that he barely hears her, and it breaks his heart a little more. "You've already done so much, and I don't think it's possible for you to do any more. Even if we don't do anything else while we're here, I know I won't ever forget what you've done."

Instead of answering, Finnick kisses her, cupping her bottom and holding her closer so that her torso is pressed to his. His tongue slides in along hers, and she gasps softly before trying to speak again, but Finnick shakes his head.

"No more," he whispers. He slides his mouth down her neck and then back up to her ear where he whispers again. "We should go see about breakfast. And then we're going for a swim."

She laughs softly and wraps her arms around him, not saying anything but saying everything in one movement.

Without much coaxing, Finnick helps Edana from the bed and then lets her change behind a partition while he does the same, and they walk downstairs together when Finnick realizes he's been left home by his father for the first time in six years.

The smell of onions and potatoes is most prominent as Finnick pulls Edana down the stairs with him to the kitchen. Upon entering the large enclosure where a bar island and breakfast nook give them three times the space as their old house would have, Finnick discovers his whole family, Annie and Jess' family gathered around the middle of the kitchen. Even Mila is here and Mags too. He glances back at Edana, seeing her smile and realizing she knew they were all here while he was sleeping, having a nightmare about Snow.

"What is all this?" he asks as he and Edana slide in easily despite the tight-nit group.

"My birthday request," Jess declares as she sits in the place of honor next to Nicolette. "I wanted my boys off the boat today, and that includes you. Now come over here and greet me properly, Finnick Thomas Odair."

Without any hesitation, Finnick moves around to her side, hugging her for the first time in what feels like years. This is the woman who helped give birth to him and his brothers, her own grandchildren and Annie, Nyla and Kendra and more than four or five dozen others. She's like a second mother to Finnick and what she says usually goes around here even though she doesn't live in the Village.

"You're thinner," she says as they separate, but that's all she says before releasing him.

Finnick doesn't say anything back, remaining by his mother's side as Edana now stands across the bar island from him. She just watches him without saying anything.

Breakfast consists mostly of onions, potatoes, eggs and boiled fish just like the previous morning, but also as a treat, Jess has made her famous fruit salad which is made of exotic fruits that must have come from her stores because there are chunks of pineapple and kiwi that could only come from a shipment of Capitol food. How she was able to preserve it is a mystery to Finnick, but he doesn't complain, not even when he has to do dishes after everyone's finished eating. Only Nicolette and Mila are still in the kitchen when he finishes, but they don't stop him from leaving.

Outside the house, on the back deck, there's already a party atmosphere because Annie and Nyla are decorating the railing and Oliver and Adrian are relighting the torches that lead to the beach. Finlay and Alaric are out on the beach making a pile of wood for the bonfire, and Molly is cutting fish filets for the grill for later. When Finnick looks out toward the beach, he sees Edana, Zale and Dylan playing soccer with Morgan, Murphy and Maris away from where the wood is being piled. Mags has taken a spot on the beach away from the noise.

Finnick remembers what he said less than two hours ago, and without thinking, he bounds down the steps to the beach and makes his way to where she's hanging back from the boys. He scoops her up before she can react, and when she squeals, he laughs and holds her close to his chest.

"We're going swimming," he exclaims, carrying her toward the water.

"What about suits?" she asks without fighting him.

"Suits are for the unadventurous," he tells her.

With that, he walks into the water fully clothed just as a wave comes in to soak them both.

Edana impresses Finnick first with her ability to dive down in the water and keep up with him when he does back flips with the waves as they roll into the beach. It takes no coaxing at all for her to remove her skirt and let it go in the foamy water, and Finnick follows with his shirt before pulling her to him so they can hover together. She holds onto him with both arms, and he keeps his eyes on the beach where he can see Peacekeepers keeping an eye on him.

"How long do you think we have before they come into the water for us?" Edana asks, seeming to know that they're being watched.

"Oh, they won't come into the water," Finnick says. "But they'll report back to Snow that we're spending a lot of time alone."

Edana reaches for his face and caresses his nose with hers and brushes her lips against his. "Then it's probably a good thing that I like when you kiss me."

This is all she says before doing just that, wrapping her hands around his head and combing through his hair in a way that causes a deep set of shivers to thunder down his spine and pool in his groin. He groans against her lips, gripping her hips in his hands and pressing her body to his.

Slowly, he moves his hands, cupping her bottom like he did before and then grasping onto her thighs to wrap her legs around him. Because he's still kicking his feet, they stay afloat, and when he glides his lips and tongue down her neck, a soft noise escapes her throat without making it all the way to her mouth.

"I love that sound," he whispers to her, lifting his lips to her earlobe and kissing the shell of her ear. She shivers and laughs quietly. He kisses the skin between her ear and her jaw, holding her closer as he speaks again. "I don't want to wait until tonight," he tells her, leaning back to lay his forehead against hers. "But I will. Nyla should give me a signal when everything's ready. I want everything to be perfect for you, Dani."

She laughs again and presses her lips to his neck. "Well, so far, so good," she giggles.

When the stitches on his back start to sting a little, Finnick decides it's time to leave the water. He helps Edana to the water shelf and then lets her climb onto his back as he walks up onto the wet sand where her skirt and his shirt have washed up. Upon reaching the wet clothes, Finnick leans down so Edana can collect them, and instantly, two sets of white boots appear before his eyes. He straightens up, still holding Edana and squinting at the two Peacekeepers.

"How's it going?" he asks nonchalantly.

"President Snow said you're not to go more than three hundred feet from your house," the one of the left says blankly.

Finnick feigns ignorance. "Did I?"

"There are buoys around the Village," the one on the right says. "You're not to go more than three hundred feet from your house."

Finnick glances at Edana and then grins up at them, leaning over to release her leg so he can salute them. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

With that, he walks away, and Edana laughs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "You know, some of them are just doing their jobs," she says softly.

Finnick doesn't skip a beat. "And some of them are sadistic psychopaths who like to torture people," he says.

She nods. "Point taken."

Finnick sighs as he walks, holding her tighter. "We had a group of Peacekeepers a few years ago that spent a Tuesday afternoon taking turns whipping a man I knew my whole life until he was dead. They made his wife and two daughters watch, and if my father and Alaric hadn't intervened, they would have raped Nyla. There's no telling what would have happened to Kendra. I was away while it happened, and when I got back, my mother had to tell me about it. Nyla was a wreck, and her mother almost committed suicide." He stops and looks at Edana to see tears in her eyes as she looks away from him. He puts her down and kneels down in the sand in front of her as she stands before him.

"I'm sorry I said that," he says. "I know you're not used to hearing things like that. But that's how life is in a lot of the districts. We're cattle to them. Even me, and I'm a Victor. When you get back to the Capitol, I want you to remember that. Most of the people around you won't care what happens to us. But you need to care. Please."

More tears fall even as she reaches for his hand, and Finnick takes hers instantly. "If I didn't care about you or anyone here, I wouldn't have come," she tells him. "I wouldn't have let Mila come. I wouldn't care about _her_. It's because I care that watching the Games made me sick the first few times. It's because my mother cared that she made excuses for me before he found out I wasn't watching them. Of course I care. I promise I'll always care."

With her hand in his, Finnick brings it to his lips and kisses her gently, rising to his feet and then leaning in to kiss her lips. Just before he can, an oddly cheerful voice calls his name.

"Finnick!"

He turns back to see Annie waving for him, and rather than remain where he is, he grasps onto Edana's hand and pulls her with him. "Come on," he says. "We can help with the preparations. Jess' birthday is usually a big deal around here."

Edana just laughs, following his pull up the beach with their clothes in hand.

The food is ready to be cooked by noon, and with Molly grilling fish, vegetables and bread on the fire grill, Alaric and Finlay take up the manly duties of finishing the bonfire and getting a section of the beach ready for the party that will take place that night. Because they do this every year, the Peacekeepers are accustomed to keeping watch over the area while they're sitting around the fire, but they stay back toward the green surrounding the houses because the year that Nyla's father was killed, they nearly incited a riot when they tried to interfere. A few years before that, the new Head Peacekeeper tried to stop them from having it altogether, and he got half his face burned off when he was thrown into the fire. No one bothers them anymore.

The afternoon disappears as everyone gets everything ready. Finnick quickly changes out of his wet clothes in favor of dry ones before he returns to the beach to help his father, and he leaves Edana with his mother so she can help with dessert for Jess' birthday treats. Every now and then, he spots her on the deck, setting the table or stringing up lights or even learning to cook with Molly. He doesn't notice what she's wearing or whether he hair is up or down. He just sees her.

"Are you sure you're gonna be able to let that girl go back to the Capitol tomorrow?" Finlay asks as he and his son pile wood onto the currently massive mound of wood.

"I have to," Finnick says without pausing.

"Yeah, but are you sure you're gonna be able to?"

Stopping instantly, Finnick stands up away from his father. "What do you mean?"

"You're watching her every move and treating her like you're about to marry her. Do you know anything about her? Other than where she's from and what you've been told to do?"

"Actually, I do," Finnick says. "Yes, she's from the Capitol, but she's also the child of a Victor. Her mother died when she was eight, and that left her with a man who thinks her only value is to marry her off to another man who's twice her age. He's been cruel to her and doesn't care what happens to her."

"Is this man her father?" Finlay asks, having stopped his own work to face Finnick.

For the first time since finding out, Finnick actually wants to tell someone the truth, even if it isn't the person who really needs to know. "No," he says. "He's not. Her father is someone who actually cares about her and wants her to be safe. But he's not allowed to keep her, because no one knows she's his. His hands were tied the moment he met her mother and fell in love with her, because he's a Victor too."

Finlay's clear green eyes widen slowly. "How is that possible?" he asks, shaking his head.

"It's a long story, and I can't tell it because it's not mine to tell. And if I tell anyone else, Snow might find out, and I can't let that happen. Just know that Dani is more like us than them. She's more like Nyla than some strange woman in the Capitol. You have to know that every time you look at her, because it's who she is to me. She's my friend. And I'm the only one who can protect her right now." Finnick pauses then, glancing back at the house and taking a deep breath before he looks at his father. "You also need to know that when I go back with her, it won't be the last time. It can't be. Not if all of it is going to stop, so no more children have to die for him."

With a glance around himself, Finlay nods for his son to follow him away from the wood pile, and they step away from everyone else filling the beach for the party. "What you told me yesterday," he says. "That bastard is threatening you — us. Is he threatening her too?"

Finnick nods without saying anything.

"And these things he's made you do. He'll want you to keep doing it?"

With his shoulders hunched over, Finnick nods again.

"And you're going to do it so you can maybe, _possibly_ have the chance to bring him down one day in the future?"

"I have to," Finnick says as steadily as he can.

"No, you don't. And it's not your responsibility to protect this family. It's mine."

"Right, because when he finds out that you're stealing from him, that will go over so fucking well? I've seen him do it, Dad. When he tells you to do something, you do it, or someone you care about is killed. Family. Friends. Anyone who's ever helped you."

"But why does it have to be you? There have to be others without so much to lose."

"He has power over us all, Dad. And those people have their lives to lose. That's enough. I'm nobody to them. Something to use and pass on. If they happen to tell me things afterward, who am I going to tell, and who would believe me?"

"You're not nobody to me," Finlay says through clenched teeth. "You're my son. And those _people_ have no right to do anything to you."

"Then we have to make them the cattle," Finnick says just as confidently. "I can use them. The same way they use me. It's not fair, but it makes things even. Just remember that you promised not to tell Mom. Not until after the baby's born."

Finlay sighs heavily, reaching for his son and then embracing him tightly. "You have to swear to me that you'll be okay. If not mentally, then at least physically. Or else the deal's off."

Will his father know if he lies? Like it or not, Finnick knows he won't ever be okay again. But if that's what his father needs, then how can Finnick refuse him?

"I swear," he whispers.

This must be all his father needs because he leans back and then lets go, and they resume their work without another word.

A few times throughout the afternoon as the sun sets over the horizon, Finnick spots Nyla and Oliver carrying various things up the beach toward the cove. Because they're guests of the Odairs, they're allowed to go wherever they want as long as they don't leave the island. Finnick told Nyla everything he wanted for tonight, and he sees her making Oliver carry most of it. The last batch of items taken up the beach consists of fire wood and a wicker basket that might hold food and drinks, but when Nyla and Oliver make it back this last time, she finds Finnick with just a look and nods that it's done. By then, the fire is burning and the food is almost ready. Finnick knows that the next part will be the most difficult.

The next part will require more of Nyla and Oliver than Finnick has ever asked from either of them, but with the clouds rolling in, the full moon is blotted out, and there's no other option.

When Finnick finds Edana on the deck with his mother and Molly, the first thing he notices is how relaxed and happy she looks. It's only when she looks at him that he sees her hair down but intricately braided as she wears one of his mother's older sun dresses. It has no straps and has a blue flower pattern over white and green fabric. She's not wearing any shoes. No one is. Finnick steps up to her side as she holds a plate of food, and though nothing is said, everything is understood with just this look.

"You should eat," she says, holding her plate out to him. She's got enough fish, potatoes and onions, and bread for the both of them, and he realizes this was her intention.

He starts eating without saying anything, glancing toward his mother as she eats the same thing and seeing a strange look in her eyes that appears to be oddly knowing — not that his mother is oblivious in any way.

"Doesn't Dani look beautiful tonight, Finn?" Molly asks.

He looks at her, surprised, and he almost chokes on his food before recovering quickly. "Um, yes, she is, Molly. She looks very beautiful."

Molly's blue eyes appraise Finnick just as easily as his mother's can, but she doesn't say anything else to him, smiling as she eats her own food.

"Finn, honey, why don't you and Dani go sit by the fire?" Nicolette suggests nonchalantly, like she has no idea what he's going to do tonight or why.

Finnick looks at Edana, noticing a blank expression on her face and remembering it from the night they all had dinner with President Snow and Edsel Thane.

He takes this to mean that she's trying to be strong for what's about to happen, and he doesn't want it to be like that. It won't be a show to put on for anyone else. No one should be watching if he's careful enough. He has to show her this. So he takes his mother's advice, reaching for Edana and then guiding her down the steps to the beach where even more people are congregating. Of course, this is his plan.

"You don't have to be like that," he says once they're far enough away for his mother to not hear him. "She's just being her."

Edana doesn't speak as they walk, and Finnick sighs softly.

"I'm sorry about all of this," he says. "I really am. I'm just trying to make this right. I feel wrong about it enough as it is."

She still doesn't speak, and without meaning to, his jaws clench a little too tight.

"I'm not upset," she tells him when he exhales sharply. "Just because I don't say anything doesn't mean I'm upset. I just don't have anything to say. And I know she's just being who she is. I asked her for a dress, and this is what she gave me."

Finnick stops, and then she does, facing him with her plate between them. "You had that look on your face like the one when we ate dinner at Snow's mansion. With him. And I thought I'd already showed you that I'm not him."

She steps forward, cupping his cheek gently. "I know you're not him. I just — I'm scared. What if Snow finds out what we did? That we hid it from him, that you're trying to spare me something he doesn't believe I've earned. He'll hurt you again, and it will be my fault. How do you think that will make me feel?"

Honestly, Finnick hadn't really thought of that, even though he'd told himself that everything he was doing was for her. He's tried to tell her not to worry about him, and that obviously hasn't worked. He's tried to tell her that he can take care of himself, but she's clearly not listening. It sounds almost like she not only loves him, but is in love with him as well.

So that he won't feel anymore awkward than he already does, Finnick takes the plate of food and then takes her hand, pulling her closer to the fire and then sitting down on a log meant for this very thing. Before eating the food, he puts the plate off to the side and turns Edana to face him, speaking as seriously and softly as he can.

"You don't have to be scared," he tells her. "I get it if you are, but you don't have to be. I'm not going to hurt you. I won't let anyone else hurt you. I swear. I understand what will happen if Snow finds out what I've done. And I will say to him what I said before we came here. He asked _me_ to do this. That says to me that he wants it done for your benefit too. I mean, I know he thinks he's fooling me into thinking he doesn't care, but I'm not stupid, Dani. Anyone else would've done it and gone, and you would've been so hurt. I don't thinkhe wants that. He wants you to be grateful to him, but I want you to be grateful to yourself. I want you to be confident and strong, the way you were when your father tried to make you watch the Games. This is your way to defy them. Defy all of them. Let me help you. That's all this is. I promise."

The smile on Edana's face relieves Finnick a little more than it should, and when she cups his cheek in her hand, he leans in as close to her as he can without kissing her.

"You're sure that's all this is?" she whispers. "You won't be doing it just to feel a little normal? Because I won't do it just to spite my father or Snow. I'm doing it now because I want to, Finnick."

Finnick lays his forehead against her. "Of course I want to now. I'm feeling things right now that I never have, and it feels good. But I almost ruined it last night even if I liked touching you. I want to do this because I want you. But if Snow finds out, I know something awful will happen, and we have to be careful, Dani."

"I understand," she whispers, lowering her hand to his collar and tugging him a little closer to kiss him.

"Odair!"

Oliver's voice startles them both, and Finnick turns to see his other best friend holding a soccer ball while a few guys from the old neighborhood wait with him.

"We need another player," Oliver says all captain-of-the-team like. "You in?"

On the surface, this sounds like any other invitation to play just as it always does, but Finnick knows this is the signal. He leans in and kisses Edana's cheek. "Nyla will probably come get you in a little while. You can trust her. Okay?"

Edana laughs softly like he's told her something cute, and she cups the side of his neck before nodding and letting him go, answering him silently.

Finnick stands up slowly, releasing her hand as he steps away, following Oliver's call as the other guys take the ball and run down the beach.

For nearly an hour, while Finnick plays with Oliver and the guys from the old neighborhood, he also watches as Nyla sits with Edana and slowly walks away from the fire with her. They meander around for a little while, and Nyla laughs like they're gossiping. As the game moves up the beach away from the fire, Finnick also sees the Peacekeepers trying to keep an eye on him, but they're not paying attention to Nyla or Edana. It's perfect.

Finnick is pretty sure they're about to cross that barrier the Peacekeepers were talking about earlier when he sees a pair of white uniforms come down from the green to intervene, and he nods to Oliver that it's time before kicking the ball as hard as he can so that it will fly as far away as possible.

"Mr. Odair," one of the Peacekeepers shout.

Before they can get too close, Oliver steps in. "Come on, man. It's a party. Ease up a little."

The Peacekeeper who remains nameless grabs Oliver's arm and shoves him out of the way, but this is just a catalyst.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Oliver yells, grabbing the intruder and shoving him back.

The instant their intruder goes for his stun gun, one of the guys from the neighborhood grabs him, giving Finnick the perfect opportunity to slide away as if he's going after the ball he kicked down the beach.

Finnick looks over his shoulder every few seconds as he runs, seeing Oliver and the guys holding the Peacekeepers between them with their backs turned, and when he looks up halfway to the cove, he meets Nyla alone. All she does is nod, and he knows she and Oliver will handle everything for the rest of the night. For a split second, Finnick is worried, but then he sees the soft glow of a new fire, and his fears dissipate completely. He finds the ball and kicks it up toward the green to throw off the Peacekeepers when they attempt to come looking for him, and he walks through the water on the wet sand to hide his tracks as he walks to the cove, feeling his heart racing like he's nervous — more nervous than he's ever been in his life.

Not even when he went on his first "date" when he was sixteen was Finnick this nervous, and it's a little nerve-racking. He knows Edana won't hurt him the way that woman and her husband did. He knows she won't ask him to do things he's never done before and then beat him when he doesn't comply the way Snow said he would. A fellow Victor in a similar situation had been forced to teach Finnick how to do a lot of the things he'd done the last few years, and it hadn't pleasant for either one of them. If anything, Finnick know he'll be the one showing these things to Edana.

And he hates himself because now he's convinced her that she wants him as much as he wants her.

When Finnick reaches the cove, the soft light is a little brighter, and he takes one last look down the beach to see the bonfire as the only light for several hundred feet, meaning that with the clouds covering the moon, it's completely dark out. No one should see him or Edana at all, especially since they'll be tucked inside a small cave. Then with little else, he ducks down to peek inside the cave as it hides Edana from the rest of the world.

She looks so small next to the fire, and Finnick has to pause to memorize her this way. He smiles and speaks up.

"May I come in?"

She smiles and nods. "Please."

He moves forward slowly and then sits down over the sand across from her.

It's quiet for a minute or two before she clears her throat. "Is everything okay?" she asks.

"Yeah," he says nodding. "We should be okay for a little while."

She nods but doesn't make any moves toward him.

Finnick reaches for her hand and tugs gently. "Come over here," he says softly.

Slowly, she scoots closer to him, and he takes it just one step further, pulling her over to straddle his legs.

She won't look at him at first, barely holding him and resisting when he tries to pull her closer.

"Dani," he whispers close to her ear. She shivers and grasps onto his shoulder but still doesn't look at him. "Are you scared?" he asks.

She shakes her head, pauses and the nods.

Finnick nudges her jaw with his nose and then kisses her cheek. "Dani," he whispers again.

This time, she looks at him, and he smiles.

"Hi," he whispers. "I'm Finn. It's nice to meet you. You look lost. Do you need help finding your way?"

Gently, she laughs and lays her forehead over his. "I was lost," she says. "But I met this guy. I think his name is Nick. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find him, would you?"

Finnick snickers softly and kisses her cheek again. "As a matter of fact, I _am_ him. And I'm right here. Look no further."

She nuzzles her nose against his and allows her lips to brush along his. "My name's Dani. I've been looking for you for a while now."

Finnick doesn't say anything else, capturing her lips with his and slowly easing his tongue inside her mouth. She gasps a little more pronounced than she did the night before and grasps onto him a little tighter until her torso is flush against his.

Just as it did the night before, Finnick's proximity to her makes his body react. His heart speeds up, air fills his lungs in deep gulps and blood pumps over every inch of his body, making him hard in his pants. His hands move on their own, grasping onto her legs and slowly moving up her thighs to her hips to uncover the flimsy fabric covering her from him the way it did the previous night. The dress she's wearing isn't providing any protection from the elements. Finnick just wants it gone.

He leans back from Edana and pulls his shirt off without ceremony, and she glides her hands down his chest, almost reveling in his skin and its warmth. He doesn't warn her, ask for permission or even wait, reaching around and unzipping the dress so it will come off to have her naked torso pressed to his.

With his eyes on hers, Finnick kisses her again and then glides his lips and tongue down her neck to her shoulder. She feels so good in his arms, and she smells so amazing. Finnick can't remember the last time he was with a woman who felt like this, if he ever has. Women in the Capitol are all so fake, and they feel fake with implants and enhancements to make themselves look more desirable. But Finnick always had to take enhancing drugs to be with those women because none of them were appealing at all, and failure was not an option for Snow. One dissatisfied client was too much, so they all had to be satisfied — even the men.

Edana feels so real as she shakes in his arms from being nervous and scared and maybe, hopefully elated. Finnick is feeling all of those things too, and he can't believe it. He can't believe he wants her so much, and if it's the only thing he does for her before going back to the Capitol, Finnick will show Edana was love really is, what it should be and how it's really supposed to feel.

"Finnick," she cries, grasping onto his hair just as he closes his lips around her hard nipple.

He's never wanted to explore the way he does now. Will she let him touch her in all the places he wants to even if he won't be able to stop there?

Once he's given her other nipple the same treatment as the first, Finnick takes the hem of her dress and lifts it up over her head to take it off, and suddenly, she's sitting on top of him practically naked. He _is_ naked beneath his pants, and he wants her to be completely prepared before he shows her something like that. And for the first time since he started doing what he's about to do, Finnick wants to memorize every inch of her body.

Holding her closer so she won't get scared, Finnick turns her around to lay her over the blanket Nyla has left for them to use. Edana watching every move he makes, grasping onto his arms as he kisses her lips and then begins a new journey from her chin to her neck and then her shoulders. Her smooth skin erupts in goose bumps, and she shivers with a new onslaught of chills. The instant his tongue touches her nipple, she reacts sharply again, grasping tighter and arching her body up into his.

It's so new for Finnick to feel a girl do this with him. No Capitol woman ever has, and he almost doesn't know what to do next, but wanting her skin on his and her arms and legs wrapped around him comes to mind. She obviously doesn't understand what she's doing or what he's doing, but Finnick thinks that's how it should be.

With a new map in his head, Finnick makes his journey down the front of Edana's body, leaving behind a trail that must burn because her skin ignites and hers grasp onto him tighter. Her stomach fluctuate beneath his touch, and Finnick has to hold her hips to keep her still as he lays his mouth over her skin. This leads him to remove her underwear, and just as suddenly as before, she's laying beneath him naked. Finnick realizes that it's only fair that he be naked too.

Slowly, Finnick rises to his knees, taking her hands in his and pulling her up to sit in front of her. At first, she looks scared, like she thinks he's stopping, that he doesn't want her, but it couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Don't be scared," he whispers, caressing her cheek and then kissing her hands gently. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. But I want us to do this together. That's how it should be. And I want you to know what it means, okay?"

"What does it mean?" she asks, grasping onto his hands and gazing up at him with nearly as much innocence as she did the night before.

Slowly, Finnick eases the tips of his fingers down her chest to her navel and even further, finding hot, slippery flesh and watching her gasp before he kisses her and slides his tongue along hers to capitalize on the chills shaking her body. "It means no one else will ever touch you like this," he whispers, nudging his nose against hers as he nudges her body toward a new peak like he did only 24 hours ago.

She moans so softly and perfectly, rising to her knees in front of him and laying her hand over his shoulder so gently that he barely feels it. He scoots a little closer to her, slipping his fingers inside her for the second time and eliciting the same reaction from her as he did the first time.

"Finnick!"

He kisses her a little deeper, silencing her easily and wrapping his hand around her hip to hold her still as they begin moving together even though he's still technically clothed and she's as bare as the rocks around them. He doesn't have to say anything to her. She unbuttons his pant and then unzips them on her own, wrapping her little hand around him with more confidence than she did before. So much so that Finnick reacts in a way he never has.

"Oh, fuck."

The groan that comes from him surprises Edana for a few seconds, and her hand stills as she leans back to look at him. Finnick doesn't dare shut his eyes, moving his fingers still and holding her closer to him until she lays her forehead against his and matches each other his strokes with one of her own.

"You're learning fast," he whispers, brushing her lips with his and then meeting her tongue with his.

Nothing else is said as they move together, and Finnick lowers his eyes to see how close they are to actually being together. He doesn't know how much longer he can go without being inside her, and it doesn't seem like she can wait much longer to have him inside her. Finnick brings his eyes to hers again, and something so immensely strange happens as the fire nearby shines through her eyes and sets them ablaze. Suddenly, it's like she's setting him on fire along with her.

There is no cold, no outside world, no one else but the two of them. Her breath on his face and then her lips and tongue mingling with his is all Finnick knows in this moment, and everything else falls away.

"Dani," he whispers. "Oh, Dani. I need you. Please."

From this soft utterance to the sensation of his body becoming naked like hers, Finnick wraps her arms and legs around him and lays her back over the blankets. The instant he moves inside her is unceremonious and perfect, clumsy and complete, and her hold on him tightens until she's clutching to him like he'll disappear if she lets go.

Not likely.

It isn't until he's pulled out and slid back in a few times that Finnick opens his eyes to see tears in her eyes, and he stills instantly, afraid that he's hurt her and berating himself because he swore to her he never would.

"Dani," he whispers still. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

Her eyes flip open, full of surprise. "Why?" she asks.

"I'm hurting you."

She shakes her head and cups his face in her hands. "No. You're not. That's why I'm crying. I thought it would, and Nyla said it might. But you're not hurting me. You feel . . . amazing."

Finnick can't keep from blushing. No one has ever said anything like that to him, not even after he'd been with a woman in the Capitol who swore he was the best she'd ever had. That experience had been one of his most awful, and this time with Edana feels the complete opposite. So much so that he says the same thing to her that she's just said to him.

"You feel amazing too," he says, smiling and kissing her before he moves again, a little slower this time so she can adjust.

From that moment, the push and pull becomes so intense that Finnick forgets nearly everything. His and Edana's breathing mingles and heaves in time together as their hearts race and pound with such synch that it becomes impossible to tell where his ends and hers begins. They're pushing each other toward the same end, and there's only one place it can be. That place is here, now, and Finnick wouldn't have it any other way.

Finnick has to remember himself when he feels his own release, staying with Edana to make sure she has hers, and he knows the instant she does, because her nails make their mark on his skin like a brand only she is capable of giving him. Unlike any other time a woman has done that very thing, this time, he welcomes it, revels in it almost.

For a few seconds, Finnick is more relieved than he should be.

He's done it. Now no one else will have a chance to hurt Edana the way he was afraid of a week ago. She's his, and maybe for the first time since he kissed her, he is hers, even if he knows it won't last much longer. That doesn't matter right now. All that matters is being with Edana and making sure she's safe.

The crackling fire is the only sound within the cave until she whispers so softly that he barely hears her.

"Is that — Is that it?" she asks.

He laughs even though he knows what she means. "No," he says, caressing her cheek and then her brow. "There's so much more. I just wanted the first time to be like this. Just you and me."

She leans up and kisses him as lightly as she can because the next thing she does takes him completely by surprise. In an instant, she's clutching him against her and then flipping the two of them over so that she's above him like she was the previous night. Her strength surprises him, but he laughs and sits up in front of her.

"Show me," she whispers.

He doesn't hesitate, kissing her deeply and moving her against him so she can feel him getting hard a second time.

It's so late when Finnick and Edana finally lay over the blankets, the small fire has died a little, and Finnick has draped part of the blanket over them to keep warm.

"How many times have you done that?" she asks once it's been quiet long enough for the sound of the waves to overpower the crackling fire.

Finnick laughs softly. "That?" he says. "Just this once."

"You know what I mean," she tells him.

The smile that had begun to form fades significantly. Yes, Finnick knows what she means. And he hates that she's bringing it up now even though he understands. Slowly, he turns her to face him and then moves on top of her, his face close enough to hers that the tip of his nose touches hers. "Listen, Dani," he says. "None of that compares to this. And I can only wish that none of that had happened to me. The truth of it is that I've been doing what Snow tells me for over four years. Not all those people were nice. And not all of them wanted nice things. They were cruel and crazy and used me in ways that only a few people will ever understand, because I'm not the only one.

"It happened more than I'll ever be able to keep up with, and I won't ever be the same as I was before. You have to know that you've given me a little piece of that back, a piece that's made me want to fight back. Those people used me to make themselves feel better, to make them think they were important. You're nothing like that, and I hope when this is over, you'll be stronger and more capable of defending yourself than you were two weeks ago. So no one will make you a victim again."

She grins and caresses his chin. "You mean when I threw a vase at you?" she says teasingly.

Finnick laughs again. "Something like that. We have one more day, Dani. And I think I know what I want to do tomorrow."

This is the last of that they talk about because she's about to ask what he means when the distinctive sound of someone hissing his name drifts into the cave.

"Finn!"

At first, he barely hears it, but then it gets close enough that he recognizes it.

"Nyla?"

"Well, of course, it's me, you dolt. Are you two . . . decent?"

He can only laugh as he lays there propped up on his elbows with Edana beneath him. "Well, we're covered, if that's what you mean."

"Well," she says, exasperated, "it's after two, and Oliver is keeping a look-out for the Peace-disruptors. Get your crap together, and let's get back to the house."

Finnick can only shake his head as he turns his attention to Edana and rises to his hands and knees before pulling her up in front of him. "This kind of changes things," he says quietly. "But nothing's different. Tell yourself that until we get back. Okay? We can't act anymore different than we were this morning."

She nods and takes a deep breath. "Okay."

With that, they rise together and find their clothes so they can leave the cave with Nyla.

The next day will take care of itself, and the only things Finnick cares about right now is figuring out a new way to make Snow pay for everything that's happened.

* * *

_**Next chapter won't be nearly as long or take that long to post, so hopefully I'll get it updated this weekend.**_

_**The posting schedule thing seriously needs to be a top priority. I'll also try to do that this weekend.**_

_**Yay for three day weekends, yes?**_

_**Later!**_


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